<div class="quote_poster">Quoting R_ChutneY:</div><div class="quote_post">I think the whole "Larry Brown not giving his rookie's a chance" argument has been blown out of proportion. Brown expects his rookies to show that they're ready to play in the NBA on a consistent basis. I think he's against the idea of letting players getting thrown into the fire just so they can learn to play. I mean, Iverson was a rookie under Brown and he was able to get minutes. If Darko had shown that he deserved to take minutes away from Ben, Sheed, and McDyess, he would have got them. That said, I think this season will be like a clean slate for Darko. He will have the oppurtunity to make Flip feel that he can play. The amount of minutes Darko gets will depend on how much he has improved and how dedicated he is.</div> I agree it is blown out of proportion and has become an excuse for why Darko has not stepped on to the court. Tayshaun Prince was given his first chance in the post-season and he stepped up to the challenge. His willingness to play defense allowed him to become the eventual starter at SF. In just his second season he started 80 games and played 32.9 MPG. Of course there was less competition at SF than there is at PF or C on the Pistons, but Prince earned his role on the team, something Darko has yet to do. If Darko was dominating in practice and playing lockdown defense, the Pistons would never have brought McDyess on the team and Darko would be pushing for a starting role. He has not proven it in practice or in summer leagues, so until he does that, he's not going to get a chance to prove it in regular season games. His last chance to impress will be in the pre-season games, otherwise he's going to ride a lot of pine next year with Flip Saunders. I also think Darko will eventually be a solid player in the league, but probably not with the Pistons unless they dismantle the team after this year. I'd love to see him be more positive about playing in the NBDL to get some burn and bolster his confidence. However, he said he would return to Europe before he went to the NBDL. Statements like that make you question whether or not Darko has the mental capability of competing in the league. Larry Brown being removed is not a free pass for Darko to come in and get more minutes. Flip Saunders is going to have expectations placed on him from Day 1 and is going to be expected to take the Pistons back to the playoffs. If you are Flip Saunders are you going to put developing Darko Milic ahead of winning games?
well you cant let the kid waste his life on the bench...hes already spent 2 years on the bench being a lottery pick and practices hard but still isnt given a chance...i think larry brown was unfair...he is like wasting darko's young talent...tayshaun was like a 24th pick but he was given a chance...in the playoffs, too. i think they should have at least let darko play quality minutes against teams like atlanta and charlotte or trade him
I already gave my thoughts about this, but what I find amusing is that the Pistons paid him around 7 million over the past 2 years to sit on the bench.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Tayshaun Prince was given his first chance in the post-season and he stepped up to the challenge.</div> But Prince got the chance to do it, which is the big point... LB wasn't the coach back then, it was Carlisle and he gave him a chance, unlike LB who only puts him in at the end of quarters or by 25 point blowouts which really isn't giving someone a chance.
