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Around the League
Darko or Carmelo? There's a slew of stories today about the ongoing controversy over the Pistons drafting Darko Milicic over Carmelo Anthony. Why? Darko's in Denver, so it's time for Nuggets beat writers to gloat a little bit and for Pistons writers to shake their heads once again and ask, what the hell was Joe Dumars thinking?
Darko Milicic
Forward-Center
Detroit Pistons
Judging from the flood of e-mails I still get on the subject from readers, I'm assuming you're still not over it. I understand the perception that Darko is a bust when you look at his statistics and DNP's, but really . . . why can't the media wrap their arms around what's going on here?
Dumars said from day one that the kid probably wouldn't play much this year. They drafted for the future and felt like a 7-foot, 18-year-old kid with his skill set comes along once every 10 years. Good small forwards (Carmelo is a very good one) come along almost every year. I was around Detroit quite a bit before the draft last year and I can tell you that there was little or no hesitation on Dumars' or the Pistons' part. Darko was the guy. I think, had the Nuggets gotten the No. 2 pick, they too would've taken him.
There's also little question that had Carmelo went to Detroit he'd be averaging far less than the 20 ppg he does in Denver. I'm sure he would've gotten more time than Darko, but with Chauncey, Rip and company I think 12 to 13 ppg would've been more like it. Had Darko went to Denver? I think a 10-12 ppg and 6-7 rpg average would've been possible there. Had that happened, would this controversy ever have existed?
I've also spent some time around the team this season. I've watched it practice, talked extensively with Larry Brown and with Darko's teammates. I think his teammates genuinely think he's going to be great. I think the pouting from Darko hasn't stopped him from being the first guy in the practice gym every day. His relationship with Ben Wallace is going to pay dividends for him. Playing against and working out with a guy like that every day has to make you better.
Despite the fact that Brown is on Darko's butt on every play . . . there is no question that he looks really good in practice. In games? It's impossible to judge in two-minute spurts. Anyone can look good or bad for a stretch like that.
To me the most interesting question is what happens to Darko if the Pistons find a way to re-sign both Mehmet Okur and Rasheed Wallace this summer? With those two in the fold along with Ben Wallace and Elden Campbell, there just isn't going to be any playing time for Darko next year either. There's no question that for Darko to improve, he has to start getting meaningful time in games next season. If Okur and the two Wallaces each average 32 minutes a game, there are no minutes left for Darko.
I know Dumars loves depth and is committed to being patient with Darko. But if the team decides to go that direction and bring back both Okur and Wallace, I think Dumars will have to at least consider whether to move Darko if it gets an unbelievable offer for him this summer. So many GMs in the league are still high on this guy and are in such need of a young big . . . what if they offered an all-star in return?
Of course, the question is moot if the Pistons can't re-sign both guys. Then there's no way they let Darko go. Okur will be easy to re-sign because the team has enough money under the cap to really make that happen. Wallace will be tougher. He's still seriously considering the Knicks and, depending on what Okur can command on the free-agent market, the Pistons may not have enough cash left to make Wallace an offer he can't refuse. Still, it's interesting to think about.
Blount bolting Boston? Celtics center Mark Blount has had a breakout year in Boston, relatively speaking. His 9.3 ppg and 6.3 rpg averages may look pretty average, but for a young, athletic 7-footer, almost every GM in the league will take it.
Mark Blount
Center
Boston Celtics
Recently, he's been much better than the numbers suggest. He had a 28-point, 21-rebound performance the other night that was, frankly, stunning. The team didn't run a single play for him and he still managed those numbers. There aren't 10 centers in the league capable of doing that even once a year. His 17.2 ppg and 12.4 rpg average in his last five games is pretty amazing for a guy like this.
Blount should be one of the pieces that Boston builds around, but the Celtics know they are going to have a tough time keeping him. Blount can opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He's due to make just a little over a million dollars next year. That's chump change for guy his size in the league.
Will he be getting his money from Boston or somewhere else? Celtics V.P. Danny Ainge wants him back.
"Mark Blount has had a great year," Ainge told the Boston Globe. "I would hope that Mark would want to stay in Boston. It's a great opportunity for him. He has had a great year and enhanced his quality of play. He has improved. He feels comfortable here. I'm sure there are questions that Mark will have for us and questions that we will have for him."
However, for Ainge to lock him up, Blount will have to accept the Celtics' mid-level exception. If the Celtics use it on Blount, that essentially ends their chances of adding another significant piece via free agency this summer.
That also assumes that Blount will accept it. He's been outspoken about the changes in Boston and sounds like a guy who wants out.
"I'll be looking at all the options," Blount told the Globe. "It has been a long year. It's just unfortunate all the trades and everything that happened. People finally got to see what I can do, but look at everything else. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. It has been a long year."
With so many teams looking for a young, athletic 7-footer who can play center -- Miami, Orlando, New York, Memphis, Indiana, New Jersey, Dallas, Utah, Phoenix, Charlotte and Denver all come to mind -- he's going to be popular. Probably too popular for Ainge and the Celtics to have a real shot at re-signing him.
Waiver wire work: Teams are still jockeying in an attempt to land a few free agents who were waived by their teams last week. The Knicks appear to be the front-runners in the Vin Baker sweepstakes if an arbitrator rules today that Baker is free to sign with a team. The NBA sent a letter to all 29 NBA teams on Tuesday explaining to them that they could not sign Baker. The union is appealing. The Heat are the other darkhorse in the Baker race.
It appears that Brevin Knight is likely heading to Milwaukee. The Raptors are leaning toward asking Rod Strickland to try to help the team sort out their point guard mess. Lonny Baxter appears to be heading to the Wizards. Still no word on where Ron Mercer will land. His downfall is now complete if he can't find a team to pick him up for the minimum.
--------------------------------------------
Around the League
Darko or Carmelo? There's a slew of stories today about the ongoing controversy over the Pistons drafting Darko Milicic over Carmelo Anthony. Why? Darko's in Denver, so it's time for Nuggets beat writers to gloat a little bit and for Pistons writers to shake their heads once again and ask, what the hell was Joe Dumars thinking?
Darko Milicic
Forward-Center
Detroit Pistons
Judging from the flood of e-mails I still get on the subject from readers, I'm assuming you're still not over it. I understand the perception that Darko is a bust when you look at his statistics and DNP's, but really . . . why can't the media wrap their arms around what's going on here?
Dumars said from day one that the kid probably wouldn't play much this year. They drafted for the future and felt like a 7-foot, 18-year-old kid with his skill set comes along once every 10 years. Good small forwards (Carmelo is a very good one) come along almost every year. I was around Detroit quite a bit before the draft last year and I can tell you that there was little or no hesitation on Dumars' or the Pistons' part. Darko was the guy. I think, had the Nuggets gotten the No. 2 pick, they too would've taken him.
There's also little question that had Carmelo went to Detroit he'd be averaging far less than the 20 ppg he does in Denver. I'm sure he would've gotten more time than Darko, but with Chauncey, Rip and company I think 12 to 13 ppg would've been more like it. Had Darko went to Denver? I think a 10-12 ppg and 6-7 rpg average would've been possible there. Had that happened, would this controversy ever have existed?
I've also spent some time around the team this season. I've watched it practice, talked extensively with Larry Brown and with Darko's teammates. I think his teammates genuinely think he's going to be great. I think the pouting from Darko hasn't stopped him from being the first guy in the practice gym every day. His relationship with Ben Wallace is going to pay dividends for him. Playing against and working out with a guy like that every day has to make you better.
Despite the fact that Brown is on Darko's butt on every play . . . there is no question that he looks really good in practice. In games? It's impossible to judge in two-minute spurts. Anyone can look good or bad for a stretch like that.
To me the most interesting question is what happens to Darko if the Pistons find a way to re-sign both Mehmet Okur and Rasheed Wallace this summer? With those two in the fold along with Ben Wallace and Elden Campbell, there just isn't going to be any playing time for Darko next year either. There's no question that for Darko to improve, he has to start getting meaningful time in games next season. If Okur and the two Wallaces each average 32 minutes a game, there are no minutes left for Darko.
I know Dumars loves depth and is committed to being patient with Darko. But if the team decides to go that direction and bring back both Okur and Wallace, I think Dumars will have to at least consider whether to move Darko if it gets an unbelievable offer for him this summer. So many GMs in the league are still high on this guy and are in such need of a young big . . . what if they offered an all-star in return?
Of course, the question is moot if the Pistons can't re-sign both guys. Then there's no way they let Darko go. Okur will be easy to re-sign because the team has enough money under the cap to really make that happen. Wallace will be tougher. He's still seriously considering the Knicks and, depending on what Okur can command on the free-agent market, the Pistons may not have enough cash left to make Wallace an offer he can't refuse. Still, it's interesting to think about.
Blount bolting Boston? Celtics center Mark Blount has had a breakout year in Boston, relatively speaking. His 9.3 ppg and 6.3 rpg averages may look pretty average, but for a young, athletic 7-footer, almost every GM in the league will take it.
Mark Blount
Center
Boston Celtics
Recently, he's been much better than the numbers suggest. He had a 28-point, 21-rebound performance the other night that was, frankly, stunning. The team didn't run a single play for him and he still managed those numbers. There aren't 10 centers in the league capable of doing that even once a year. His 17.2 ppg and 12.4 rpg average in his last five games is pretty amazing for a guy like this.
Blount should be one of the pieces that Boston builds around, but the Celtics know they are going to have a tough time keeping him. Blount can opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent this summer. He's due to make just a little over a million dollars next year. That's chump change for guy his size in the league.
Will he be getting his money from Boston or somewhere else? Celtics V.P. Danny Ainge wants him back.
"Mark Blount has had a great year," Ainge told the Boston Globe. "I would hope that Mark would want to stay in Boston. It's a great opportunity for him. He has had a great year and enhanced his quality of play. He has improved. He feels comfortable here. I'm sure there are questions that Mark will have for us and questions that we will have for him."
However, for Ainge to lock him up, Blount will have to accept the Celtics' mid-level exception. If the Celtics use it on Blount, that essentially ends their chances of adding another significant piece via free agency this summer.
That also assumes that Blount will accept it. He's been outspoken about the changes in Boston and sounds like a guy who wants out.
"I'll be looking at all the options," Blount told the Globe. "It has been a long year. It's just unfortunate all the trades and everything that happened. People finally got to see what I can do, but look at everything else. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. It has been a long year."
With so many teams looking for a young, athletic 7-footer who can play center -- Miami, Orlando, New York, Memphis, Indiana, New Jersey, Dallas, Utah, Phoenix, Charlotte and Denver all come to mind -- he's going to be popular. Probably too popular for Ainge and the Celtics to have a real shot at re-signing him.
Waiver wire work: Teams are still jockeying in an attempt to land a few free agents who were waived by their teams last week. The Knicks appear to be the front-runners in the Vin Baker sweepstakes if an arbitrator rules today that Baker is free to sign with a team. The NBA sent a letter to all 29 NBA teams on Tuesday explaining to them that they could not sign Baker. The union is appealing. The Heat are the other darkhorse in the Baker race.
It appears that Brevin Knight is likely heading to Milwaukee. The Raptors are leaning toward asking Rod Strickland to try to help the team sort out their point guard mess. Lonny Baxter appears to be heading to the Wizards. Still no word on where Ron Mercer will land. His downfall is now complete if he can't find a team to pick him up for the minimum.
