<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">In a surprising and much-questioned move, the Magic renounced its rights to the power forward Tuesday after receiving an oral commitment from top free agent Rashard Lewis. Milicic is now an unrestricted free agent. Milicic intrigues the Bulls, who have contacted his agent to express their interest. Only the Charlotte Bobcats, Milwaukee Bucks and Grizzlies own significant salary-cap room to sign him, though, so Milicic might be forced to sign for the midlevel salary-cap exception of roughly $5.5 million, which the Bulls have.</div> <div align="center">Source: Chicago Tribune</div>
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Milicic intrigues the Bulls, who have contacted his agent to express their interest. Only the Charlotte Bobcats, Milwaukee Bucks and Grizzlies own significant salary-cap room to sign him, though, so Milicic might be forced to sign for the midlevel salary-cap exception of roughly $5.5 million, which the Bulls have.</div> Charlotte and Milwaukee don't need a power forward, so they probably won't be interested, but from what I'm hearing around town, he's the Grizzlies' top free agent target this summer, and they're expected to offer him slightly more than the MLE, just so that a team like the Bulls can't offer him more. So, unless the Bulls can clear cap room, it looks like he's not a realistic target.
<div class="quote_poster">Voodoo Child Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Charlotte and Milwaukee don't need a power forward, so they probably won't be interested, but from what I'm hearing around town, he's the Grizzlies' top free agent target this summer, and they're expected to offer him slightly more than the MLE, just so that a team like the Bulls can't offer him more. So, unless the Bulls can clear cap room, it looks like he's not a realistic target.</div> The one question I would have if that were the case is if a slightly higher amount of money would be enough to lure Darko away from a situation where he would have a better opportunity to win?
<div class="quote_poster">Blur Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">The one question I would have if that were the case is if a slightly higher amount of money would be enough to lure Darko away from a situation where he would have a better opportunity to win?</div> Well, if you want to get down to it, the Grizzlies have almost as much of a chance to win as the Bulls. They just had a really injury ravaged season, but they've reached the 50-win milestone more recently than the Bulls have. Also, he'd get more playing time on Memphis, because he would only be competing with Hakim Warrick and Alexander Johnson for the starting job. Besides, if you're Darko, what do you really care about winning? He won a title in 2003-04, but he didn't even play five minutes per game. If I were him, I'd be more focussed on going to a situation where I'd get a lot of playing time.
<div class="quote_poster">Voodoo Child Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Well, if you want to get down to it, the Grizzlies have almost as much of a chance to win as the Bulls. They just had a really injury ravaged season, but they've reached the 50-win milestone more recently than the Bulls have. Also, he'd get more playing time on Memphis, because he would only be competing with Hakim Warrick and Alexander Johnson for the starting job. Besides, if you're Darko, what do you really care about winning? He won a title in 2003-04, but he didn't even play five minutes per game. If I were him, I'd be more focussed on going to a situation where I'd get a lot of playing time.</div> I agree that the Grizzlies are capable of winning plenty of games and getting into the playoffs, but at the end of the day they are in the western conference, besides making the playoffs, I don't see them doing much these next few years. Meanwhile the east is wide open, if his goal is to win another title, he would have an easier path doing it playing for the Bulls. The Bulls power forward position is wide open as well, if he comes in and competes he will see playing time. If this rumored trade goes down the only power forwards on the roster are Tyrus and him.
<div class="quote_poster">Blur Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I agree that the Grizzlies are capable of winning plenty of games and getting into the playoffs, but at the end of the day they are in the western conference, besides making the playoffs, I don't see them doing much these next few years. Meanwhile the east is wide open, if his goal is to win another title, he would have an easier path doing it playing for the Bulls. The Bulls power forward position is wide open as well, if he comes in and competes he will see playing time. If this rumored trade goes down the only power forwards on the roster are Tyrus and him.</div> Good point, but I still don't think winning would be that important for someone who seems like he's just itching to get a chance at playing time. What's the rumored trade? You have to log in to read the rest of the article, and I don't see any mention of it in the article. Is Noah included in it?
<div class="quote_poster">Voodoo Child Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">What's the rumored trade? You have to log in to read the rest of the article, and I don't see any mention of it in the article. Is Noah included in it?</div> My fault I was actually talking to this girl on the phone while I typed that and for some reason noted the rumored Noah deal to Memphis, but completely forgot we would get Gasol in return.
Yeah some trade like Noah, Noc, and Duhon + cap fillers for Gasol. If Pax can pull it off then, wow, we have to jump on that. It's on RealGM's front page. The only thing Chicago has over Memphis is being in the East and having a large Serbian population. But I don't think that matters, in comparison to $$$. I don't really see Darko having a breakout year, he just seems so uninspired at times. I think he'll always be pretty solid, but if he gets a lot of money from Memphis I have a feeling he'll be an immovable contract unless he really steps his game up.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I don't really see Darko having a breakout year, he just seems so uninspired at times. I think he'll always be pretty solid, but if he gets a lot of money from Memphis I have a feeling he'll be an immovable contract unless he really steps his game up.</div> I have the same fears. The Grizzlies already have one immovable contract like that on their roster in Brian Cardinal. If they signed Milicic, it'd likely be more of the same. In all fairness though, Darko hasn't had much of a chance to show what he's capable of though. His two NBA coaches, Larry Brown and Brian Hill, really underutilized him, even though he was very productive in what sparse playing time he received.
Darko, why is everyone so high on him. He is a streaky guy. While he was consistent for the Magic against the Pistons, he is no better then the rest of his class of Howard or anyone. We have Thomas, who will be SO much better then Darko. Darko is to angry, everytime I've seen him play, he is arguing every freakin call, like calm down, you arne't Dwyane Wade, you won't have everything swinging your way. Darko IMO, will never start, or shouldn't because he isn't good in the post, and while he gets a block or two, guys like Bosh, Horford, and up and coming PF who are fast and stronger will destroy Darko. He is not good enough for where he was picked, and shouldn't get over an MLE.
<div class="quote_poster">Master Shake Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Darko, why is everyone so high on him. He is a streaky guy. While he was consistent for the Magic against the Pistons, he is no better then the rest of his class of Howard or anyone. We have Thomas, who will be SO much better then Darko. Darko is to angry, everytime I've seen him play, he is arguing every freakin call, like calm down, you arne't Dwyane Wade, you won't have everything swinging your way. Darko IMO, will never start, or shouldn't because he isn't good in the post, and while he gets a block or two, guys like Bosh, Horford, and up and coming PF who are fast and stronger will destroy Darko. He is not good enough for where he was picked, and shouldn't get over an MLE.</div> So because he isn't as good as others in his draft class, despite his still enormous potential, size, and skill set, he's not worth the MLE? Come on man. Darko is likely never to be a star, but he is the type of role player that championship caliber teams need. Not only will he start for NBA teams, he would start for the Bulls from day 1. You say his offense is bad? It's way more advanced right now than Noah's and Tyrus Thomas's right now. He has developed a pretty good hook shot in the paint, but his bread and butter is a consistent 18 foot shooter, he just never really got many chances in Detroit or Orlando. He has improved A LOT since he first came to Orlando and he is still only 22 years old and will still improve. I certainly wouldn't give him what his agent is saying, a deal starting at $10 mil for 5 years, but I would give him a deal starting at 7-8 mil for 5 years. Darko doesn't really argue calls that much, not as much as you make it seem. He started to show more fire at the end of the year and even got ejected. He was our most consistent player against the Pistons in the playoffs when we actually started using him right. With all the hate the Magic give to Brian Hill about forcing him into the low post, it helped Darko become confident down there. He isn't as timid and developed a nice hook shot. He also crashed the glass a lot more towards the end of the season and even dunked in traffic(something that he wouldn't have even though of doing at the beginning of the year). His confidence is getting higher and it will make him a better player. If put in the right scenario(Orlando!!!) with a dominant low post big man and given a consistent 30 minutes a game, I can see him avg close to 12 and 8 with 2+ blocks this year. Please tell me any other player that you can realistically sign for the MLE that could possibly avg that this year? He's probably the best big on the market, considering you don't consider Noc a PF. Getting him for the MLE would be a gigantic steal.
Right now, I rather have Thomas then Darko because Thomas is way more athletic, is starting to get a short jumper, needs to be less jump happy but is still gonna be better. Noah is Noah, I don't like him, but he can be more productive then Darko because he hustles way more and as soon as his shoulder heals to better then it was, his hook will be better. I wouldn't go after Darko if I were Paxson because with 2 young PF coming up, he takes up cap space and is not gonna be that bit PF scorer the Bulls need.
<div class="quote_poster">Master Shake Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Right now, I rather have Thomas then Darko because Thomas is way more athletic, is starting to get a short jumper, needs to be less jump happy but is still gonna be better. Noah is Noah, I don't like him, but he can be more productive then Darko because he hustles way more and as soon as his shoulder heals to better then it was, his hook will be better. I wouldn't go after Darko if I were Paxson because with 2 young PF coming up, he takes up cap space and is not gonna be that bit PF scorer the Bulls need.</div> He already is a better scorer than both Thomas and Noah and honestly I don't see Thomas being that great of a player. I think he'll be solid, but I think Darko will be a better player. I see Thomas more in the Stromile Swift mold. Where he is always raw and always shows a lot of potential. Hell I think Noah could be a better player than Thomas. Thomas is just blessed with amazing athleticism, but doesn't have the basketball IQ or instincts that Noah or Darko has. Signing Darko to the MLE is a low risk move, IMO. Now if you were talking about signing Darko to a 8-10 mil a year deal then I would definitely tell you guys not to do it. Darko at the MLE still will allow you to use him as trade bait and you aren't investing as much into him. (think smaller deal than the Noc deal)
<div class="quote_poster">GatorsowntheNCAA Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">He already is a better scorer than both Thomas and Noah and honestly I don't see Thomas being that great of a player. I think he'll be solid, but I think Darko will be a better player. I see Thomas more in the Stromile Swift mold. Where he is always raw and always shows a lot of potential. Hell I think Noah could be a better player than Thomas. Thomas is just blessed with amazing athleticism, but doesn't have the basketball IQ or instincts that Noah or Darko has. Signing Darko to the MLE is a low risk move, IMO.</div> I agree with the MLE. Like i said, if you can get Darko for MLE it's good. Hey, he isn't a bad player, I'm just not to found of him. To me he isn't the type of guy who deserves over an MLE yet.
