All we are hoping is that he can get to like a servicable 12 and 8 or something like that that would compliment Dwight Howard.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting GatorsowntheSEC:</div><div class="quote_post">All we are hoping is that he can get to like a servicable 12 and 8 or something like that that would compliment Dwight Howard.</div> Now that you mention stats, what do you guys predict Darko's numbers will be? I'm guessing he averages about 5 PPG and 4 RPG since he will just be getting used to the system and probably won't be consistent at first. Then over time, I feel he will get more comfortable and his minutes will increase. At that point, I think his numbers will improve to about 8 PPG and 6 RPG.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheHighness:</div><div class="quote_post">8 & 6</div> I'll be happy with that, since that's what Battie gets right now. I think he'll get around 15-20 mins at the beginning and then should get 25-30 the last 10 games or so just to see what he's capable of, when we have nothing to lose.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting GatorsowntheSEC:</div><div class="quote_post">All we are hoping is that he can get to like a servicable 12 and 8 or something like that that would compliment Dwight Howard.</div> 12 and 8 will never happen. He's to soft and doesn't like to play on the inside. You're best beat is 6 and 3 with maybe 2-3 blocks a game.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Cdub100:</div><div class="quote_post">12 and 8 will never happen. He's to soft and doesn't like to play on the inside. You're best beat is 6 and 3 with maybe 2-3 blocks a game.</div> We'll see. I hope you are wrong(no offense ). I honestly don't know much about him at all, so I honestly don't know what he brings to the table or what not. I just know he's young, tall and still is full of potential and just hasn't gotten a chance. I will reserve all judgement from him. I do think if he gets at least 20-25 mins(what I'm hoping he gets the last 10-20 games), I think he'd be able to get more than 6 and 3. I would much rather have him with 15-20 mins then Pat Garrity.
Darko isn't really lazy just really unmotivated, he never cares during garbage time because he is embarrassed just being out there against scrubs. Darko has a huge ego and still sees himself as some kind of great player. He also can't stay on the floor long enough due to fouls. I will be surprised If he can stay on the floor longer than 15 minutes. Due to picking up bad fouls. Once he realises how to stay away from going after the offensive player then he will be a better player. One thing he can do well is block shots.
No one really knows what Darko is going to bring, which is why I like this move by the Magic. This franchise made a low-rish gamble on a young, unproven player. The expectations are extremely low for Milic, which works in Orlando's favor. Let's all keep in mind Milic is still very young and is a legit 7-1. Every single scout loved his game, and some even went as far to say he's going to have a better career than LeBron James. It's hard to imagine every single one of those scouts is wrong. What's been missing for Darko is a franchise willing to be patient with him and groom him along. In Detroit he didn't have the luxury of making mistakes, because the second he messed up, the Pistons had 3 veteran players ready to grab his minutes. In Orlando the pressure is less, because they are in a state of rebuilding. Kelvin Cato was never going to be part of the long term future of this team, and I doubt there was a better deal out there for him. With Darko there is a possibility for him to be the perfect compliment to Dwight Howard. If I were the Magic I'd start right away at Center and just let him learn through trial and error. Let him stay out there until he fouls out of the game. Darko has hit rock bottom, there's nowhere left for him to go, but up. I'm just curious we finally get to see Darko get some playing time.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">No one really knows what Darko is going to bring, which is why I like this move by the Magic. This franchise made a low-rish gamble on a young, unproven player. The expectations are extremely low for Milic, which works in Orlando's favor. Let's all keep in mind Milic is still very young and is a legit 7-1. Every single scout loved his game, and some even went as far to say he's going to have a better career than LeBron James. It's hard to imagine every single one of those scouts is wrong. What's been missing for Darko is a franchise willing to be patient with him and groom him along. In Detroit he didn't have the luxury of making mistakes, because the second he messed up, the Pistons had 3 veteran players ready to grab his minutes. In Orlando the pressure is less, because they are in a state of rebuilding. Kelvin Cato was never going to be part of the long term future of this team, and I doubt there was a better deal out there for him. With Darko there is a possibility for him to be the perfect compliment to Dwight Howard. If I were the Magic I'd start right away at Center and just let him learn through trial and error. Let him stay out there until he fouls out of the game. Darko has hit rock bottom, there's nowhere left for him to go, but up. I'm just curious we finally get to see Darko get some playing time.</div> Darko is very underrated in my opinion. Everyone thinks of him as being a bum who doesnt try hard and has no skill. The kid is loaded with talent though and i cant TOTALLY blame him for not trying with the Pistons. Sure he should give it 100% becuase he's a professional, being paid to play a game. BUT, Detroit really hosed Darko. They should never of drafted a project that they clearly never intended to bottle feed. Oh sure they SAID he was gunna get devoloped, but they never did ANYTHING to back up the talk. The kid was immediately pulled as soon as he made a mistake. He only played during garbage time or games that didnt matter, i remember a few games were he was inserted for the first tim that game with less than a minute left in a game that was over half way through the fourth. The kid did very well when he was given significant minutes. Sure he fouled alot but what young big men dont these days. Sure he turned the ball over alot, but he's a 7-1 18-20 year old, you have to give him time to get his reflexes and coordination down, the kid's only just stopped growing for crying out loud. I think Darko will do very good with the Magic, and i still think its feasible to hope for an allstar game or two in his future, though its entirely to early to tell. He is rather soft for a big man, but then again he's 20 years old and there's plenty of time for him to toughen up and get used to grinding the paint. Even if he doesnt toughen up I think Darko could be a 18-5-4 kind of player. He can score from anywhere on the court and I think alot of you will be surprised.
I was concerned about him during the Summer League. He got an opportunity he just didn't take advantage of it. We'll see how he does, but remember this guy is dripping with potential. He wasn't drafted over the likes of Wade, Bosh, and Anthony for nothing. I'm very eager to see him.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting MrJ:</div><div class="quote_post">I was concerned about him during the Summer League. He got an opportunity he just didn't take advantage of it. We'll see how he does, but remember this guy is dripping with potential. He wasn't drafted over the likes of Wade, Bosh, and Anthony for nothing. I'm very eager to see him.</div> You cannot put any stock into summer league games. The games really cater to guards and uptempo players. You rarely see any big men putting up numbers for teams who run halfcourt sets. A bigger concern might be the poor performance he had in the recent Euro games. But who knows, there's a lot of politics on those teams and I'm sure Darko's ego wasn't appreciated by some of the senior members. I'm just speculating, but at least now we get to see what Darko is really about. I just hope he finds the passion he had when he first came to the league.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">You cannot put any stock into summer league games. The games really cater to guards and uptempo players. You rarely see any big men putting up numbers for teams who run halfcourt sets. A bigger concern might be the poor performance he had in the recent Euro games. But who knows, there's a lot of politics on those teams and I'm sure Darko's ego wasn't appreciated by some of the senior members. I'm just speculating, but at least now we get to see what Darko is really about. I just hope he finds the passion he had when he first came to the league.</div> Yeah, I know. Chris Paul and Channing Frye didn't have great summer leagues while Nicholoz Tkstisvilli had a great summer league. I'm just saying it's not a good sign. I do think Darko will produce under the Magic this year, though.
I hope Darko can prove me wrong but I just don't see him being much in this league as far as I'm concerned "potential" is just a word for someone who hasn't done anything.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TheHighness:</div><div class="quote_post">I hope Darko can prove me wrong but I just don't see him being much in this league as far as I'm concerned "potential" is just a word for someone who hasn't done anything.</div> Hell, Kwame is putting up a whooping 6 PPG / 6 RPG with the Lakers. Hard to imagine Darko doing any worse and Kwame is costing my Lakers twice as much money.
The last time the Magic and Pistons made a trade, it didn't work out at all for Orlando. Maybe Dumars has been living with some guilt this entire time and wanted to "throw the dog a bone" so to speak? Or is Joe Dumars being coniving again and duping the Magic once again? Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">The last time the Magic and Pistons made a trade, it didn't work out at all for Orlando. Maybe Dumars has been living with some guilt this entire time and wanted to "throw the dog a bone" so to speak? Or is Joe Dumars being coniving again and duping the Magic once again? Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me.</div> I was honestly thinking the same exact thing and was just about to post it. I hope he's "throwing us a bone". Darko's now guaranteed to be a good player eventually. If not with the Magic, he will be amazing after he leaves us, just like everyone else.
I don't think Dumars would "throw anyone a bone" I think he did it because he knows that he will probly get a lottery pick and will likely get a player that can help that team more than Darko ever has.
I'd like to point something out. Since the 2007 pick is unprotected, the Magic could lose one of the best players in the draft, Gred Oden. Unless Darko turns out to be a better player then Oden, I will be a very angry Magic fan. Dwight and Oden would have been a sick combination and at this point, I'm hoping: 1. Darko turns into a superstar and surpasses Oden as far as talent goes. 2. Greg Oden turns out to be a bust. 3. The Pistons land ANYONE other then Oden in 2007.
