<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Now that Darko Milicic appears to be available, are the Sixers interested? The answer, senior vice president of basketball operations/assistant general manager Tony DiLeo confirmed yesterday, is that they will investigate, saying, "It's our job to be interested."</div> link
I saw this article earlier today, its good to hear that for once 76ers management and the fans are on the same page, as to who we should pursue in free agency. I wouldn't give Darko much more than the MLE, like I have stated before next year is a huge year in free agency, I don't want to tie up too much money on Darko knowing some of the guys that are going to be on the market next year.
<div class="quote_poster">Blur Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I I don't want to tie up too much money on Darko knowing some of the guys that are going to be on the market next year.</div> Exactly what I was thinking. I wouldn't be totally opposed if we didn't use the MLE at all this offseason. I honestly haven't seen Darko play much, but according to the Magic fans, he's a future All-Star. They seem pretty upset not being able to resign him, so I guess he's a pretty good player, plus he's still pretty young. I wouldn't mind signing him to the MLE, but I think we'd be better off saving some cap space for next season's free agents like Elton Brand and Gilbert Arenas. I would hate not to be able to sign a big name free agent just because we used our MLE on Darko Milicic...
<div class="quote_poster">Brian Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Exactly what I was thinking. I wouldn't be totally opposed if we didn't use the MLE at all this offseason. I honestly haven't seen Darko play much, but according to the Magic fans, he's a future All-Star. They seem pretty upset not being able to resign him, so I guess he's a pretty good player, plus he's still pretty young. I wouldn't mind signing him to the MLE, but I think we'd be better off saving some cap space for next season's free agents like Elton Brand and Gilbert Arenas. I would hate not to be able to sign a big name free agent just because we used our MLE on Darko Milicic...</div> Magic fans don't think Darko is a future perennial all-star, we think that he complements Dwight very well and helps make Dwight a much better player. Dwight/Darko would be a very good tandem when they both reach their primes. We would much rather see Darko staying and starting over Tony Battie. He's the type of role player that championship teams need and now that we have Shard and Dwight, we need to put role players around them.
Doesn't seem like the 76ers have much interest, and rightfully so. I'd rather the team save whatever money they can.
If we can get him for the MLE then snap him up. I think he may be able to help us and the sixers need bigger bodies in there to rebound block shots etc. Don't go all out though!!!
<div class="quote_poster">A.F. Venom Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Doesn't seem like the 76ers have much interest, and rightfully so. I'd rather the team save whatever money they can.</div> Agreed. I rather get by this season with Joe Smith, or another serviceable power forward, until we can make a run at a guy like Elton Brand next year. We are not going to win the championship this year, so if we save our cash for next year and bring in a stud we will be able to make a run at the title (or deep in the playoffs) shortly after.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The 76ers have not changed their free-agent strategy, but things may have been altered Tuesday when Orlando pulled its qualifying offer to Darko Milicic, making the 7-foot power forward an unrestricted free agent. The Sixers have made re-signing their own unrestricted free agent, Joe Smith, their top priority, but now Milicic could provide another option, although the Sixers would not be the favorites to sign him. "We've been on top of the [Milicic] situation from the beginning and we have been in contact with his agent and we'll see how it plays out," Tony DiLeo, the Sixers' senior vice president, said yesterday before the team left for the Las Vegas summer league, which begins play today.</div> Source: Daily Herald It is looking more and more likely, with each passing day, that we will end up signing Darko Milicic barring the price tag, I think it will be a great move by the 76ers franchise. We have an obvious whole at power forward right now, and adding Darko to a front court already consisting of two seven footers who are legit shot blockers (Hunter & Dalembert) can only help. Hopefully, King does not give him a contract over the MLE, it will be a huge set back for the organizations long term plans to sign Darko to a big deal.
<div class="quote_poster">Blur Wrote</div><div class="quote_post"> Hopefully, King does not give him a contract over the MLE, it will be a huge set back for the organizations long term plans to sign Darko to a big deal.</div> Is that even possible? I thought we only had the MLE this offseason to work with since we're over the cap Anyways, barring any major signing, our total salary for next year's offseason will be about $32-$33 thousand. Assuming we sign Darko Milicic with the MLE, that would roughly bump up our salary to, let's say, $38-$39 thousand? We would only have 8 players signed to a contract for the 2008 offseason. With a strong free agency market coming up, I'm hoping we won't use too much of our money so that it hinders our chances of signing a big name free agent like Elton Brand. Also keep in mind that we must also fill up our roster
<div class="quote_poster">Brian Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Is that even possible? I thought we only had the MLE this offseason to work with since we're over the cap</div> We can always orchestrate a sign and trade deal with Orlando to get him more money, if that is the route we choose to pursue (hopefully not).
<div class="quote_poster">Blur Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">We can always orchestrate a sign and trade deal with Orlando to get him more money, if that is the route we choose to pursue (hopefully not).</div> What possible S&T would happen?
<div class="quote_poster">CLos Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">What possible S&T would happen?</div> I was just noting an example of one of the ways the 76ers could give Darko a contract above the alloted MLE price for teams over the cap. Although, there are no rumored deals (at least S&T wise) on the news circuit right now, the 76ers squad is loaded with swing men guys like Kyle Korver, Willie Green, maybe even Rodney Carney could all be viable pieces in a sign and trade scenario. Korver would give the Magic yet another shooter, to go along with JJ Redick, who would excel in a Magic system where Dwight demands a consistent double team in the low post.
Darko Milicic would be worth any money we give him. He's a shotblocking pheneom, he's very athletic, he can hit the 15 footer. A very SIGNIFCANT upgrade over Joe Smith. We need a solid starter and if we can secure that for 5-7 years at 4-5 million, that'd be` very signifcant. Certainly alot more signifcant then signing a guy like Elton Brand and being back where we were. Which was mediocrity. Championship, or nothing, that's what this should be about.
<div class="quote_poster">Total_76ers_Fan Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Darko Milicic would be worth any money we give him. He's a shotblocking pheneom, he's very athletic, he can hit the 15 footer. A very SIGNIFCANT upgrade over Joe Smith. We need a solid starter and if we can secure that for 5-7 years at 4-5 million, that'd be` very signifcant. Certainly alot more signifcant then signing a guy like Elton Brand and being back where we were. Which was mediocrity. Championship, or nothing, that's what this should be about.</div> I couldn't disagree with you more on this, anything over a starting salary of 6-7 million a year is a significant overpayment for Darko. Whats the point of having Milicic for 6-7 years if we are not competing for a title with him on the roster? At the end of the day that is what its all about, what difference does it make how early you lose in the playoffs? If your not winning titles its all for not, anyone in the NBA would tell you the same thing. Signing Brand, would give us a duo that could carry this team deep in the playoffs, and make a title run. Hell it might even be a trio depending how Thaddeus Young is coming along. Brand is only 28 he will be 29 come next off season, realistically he still has 5-7 years left playing at a high level.
A "duo" of Iguodala-Brand. A "trio" Of Iggy-Brand-Thaddeus? I'll first ask Clipper fans how good Brand is passing out of the double team. How about targetting Kevin Garnett with that money instead?
<div class="quote_poster">Total_76ers_Fan Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">A "duo" of Iguodala-Brand. A "trio" Of Iggy-Brand-Thaddeus? I'll first ask Clipper fans how good Brand is passing out of the double team. How about targetting Kevin Garnett with that money instead?</div> Either would be a better option than Darko and put us in a better position to pursue a championship, so it is besides the point. Your basically reiterating the point I was trying to make that it would be best to save the money instead of signing Darko to a big deal.
