Its kind of funny in a way....this is how Lang Whitaker from Slam puts it: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">C-Fizzle (ESPN's Chad Ford) says today that he doesn't understand why "the media" can't understand that Darko's a work in progress, and that if Carmelo was on Detroit he'd be averaging 12-13 ppg, while if Darko was in Denver, he'd be averaging 12-13 ppg and 6-7 rpg. Hold on...let me stop laughing...whew...OK... We all know that Chad's been espousing the virtues of Darko for the last year, after seeing him play in Europe, watching him in training camp, listening to scouts and League execs rave about him. I learned my lesson on that front years ago. When I was in college, in the summer of 1994, I worked at a big fitness center in Atlanta, which was basically an excuse for me to play basketball all day. This was right after the Hawks had torn down The Omni and were temporarily without a practice facility, so they rented out the place where I was working in order to work out possible Draft picks. They only had a second round pick, so they brought in a bunch of guys, two or three each day, and put them through various drills and exercises. The most impressive guy I saw was a guy named Gaylon Nickerson, who had played at tiny Northwest Oklahoma State. I don't think he missed a jumper the entire day he was in, and he just killed the other point guards that were there. The next few days I raved about him to my friends, saying the Hawks had to get him. And as it turned out, they did select him, in the second round, 34th overall. Now, ten years later, we can look back at his career NBA stats: 4 games, 42 minutes, 15 points, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover. I'm not saying that Darko will turn out like this, but there's always the chance he won't develop into the world-beater ESPN's Insider keeps telling us he will be. Here's the thing: No one had seen Darko play before the Draft, and we still haven't seen him play now. If he was good enough to play, he'd be playing right now. So, obviously, he needs to improve. Detroit was desperate enough to go out and get Rasheed Wallace, who plays the same position as Darko. Detroit also apparently thinks so much of Darko that they traded away players to make room to re-sign Mehmet Okur, who also plays the same position as Darko. Which leaves them in a conundrum this summer. Who do they go after? They moved guys to make room for Mehmet. They have a shot at Rasheed. And all indications are they'll try to get both of those guys. To me that sounds like they don't think Darko's ready to contribute any time soon. Ford suggests they could try and trade Darko. Really? Trade the guy about whom just one year ago, Ford himself quoted a Pistons scout as saying, "He's going to own the game. Own the game. We're going to have to build a new arena." You're going to trade that away, a guy who will "own the game," even if it's for an All-Star in return? But for argument's sake, let's say they did trade Darko. What would they want in return? Certainly not a big guy, since that's where they're logjammed as it is. Not a point guard, since Chauncey Billups is on the verge of being an All-Star. Not a two guard, since Rip Hamilton has a maxed out contract and is their leading scorer. So how about a small forward? Now, would things be different if the two guys were in different places? I can guarantee you Melo would be averaging more than 13 ppg in Detroit, playing every night against bruising Eastern Conference small forwards like Eddie Robinson, Stephen Jackson and Shandon Anderson. And how great would Melo be on a team where he wouldn't have to create nearly every shot attempt he gets. If Billups, Rip and 'Sheed were driving and dishing to a wide-open Melo? </div> http://www.slamonline.com/links/03012004/index1.html <----just scroll down the page This arguement sounded so logical to me that I had to post it. I know this is kind of long but if I posted the actual article it would be hard for others to find it, but does this not sound logical?
carmelo vs. darko arguments are like listening to a broken record. maybe Darko will blow up into the next Jermaine O'Neal. maybe carmelo will be the next glenn robinson. maybe this, maybe that. the ONLY certain thing is this: we won't be able to see if the Pistons made the right choice until another year or two.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting iamme:</div><div class="quote_post">carmelo vs. darko arguments are like listening to a broken record. maybe Darko will blow up into the next Jermaine O'Neal. maybe carmelo will be the next glenn robinson. maybe this, maybe that. the ONLY certain thing is this: we won't be able to see if the Pistons made the right choice until another year or two.</div> Amen to that.
I think we might have to wait around till 'Sheed is gone. When he;s gone, the door is open for Darko. I alreay know 'Sheed is temperary, so Darko just needs to wait and keep practicing.
Perhaps Darko will be something special, maybe in a few years he'll be considered an equal pick to Carmelo. However, the Sam Bowie/Michael Jordan draft just sounds so familiar, the comparison is just staggering. Anyhow, could you imagine if Detroit HAD selected Carmelo Anthony this season? There lineup would have been tremendous... PG: Billups SG: Hamiliton SF: Carmelo Anthony PF: Rasheed Wallace C: Ben Wallace With guys like Tayshaun Prince, Mike James, Mehmet Okur, Elden Soup, and Corliss Williamson coming off the bench. Not only would they still be the best defensive team in the league, but they'd be one more man deeper on the bench, plus they'd get an extra 19 points per game from Carmelo on the offensive end. I'm sure it's a thought that had to run through Detroits front office's mind, as great as they are now with Rasheed, they would be FINALS bound with Carmelo on their roster.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Now, would things be different if the two guys were in different places? I can guarantee you Melo would be averaging more than 13 ppg in Detroit, playing every night against bruising Eastern Conference small forwards like Eddie Robinson, Stephen Jackson and Shandon Anderson. And how great would Melo be on a team where he wouldn't have to create nearly every shot attempt he gets. If Billups, Rip and 'Sheed were driving and dishing to a wide-open Melo? </div> Carmelo doesn't create most of his shot attempts, 58% of them are assisted, thats almost the same as Ben Wallace who has 60% of his assisted, or Rip who also has 58% assisted
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting og15:</div><div class="quote_post">Carmelo doesn't create most of his shot attempts, 58% of them are assisted, thats almost the same as Ben Wallace who has 60% of his assisted, or Rip who also has 58% assisted </div> Yeah, I dont understand that statement either. Melo plays with one of the best point guards in the league as far as creating shots for others. And he also benefits from playing on a team that fastbreaks 24/7, so he gets alot of easy transition buckets. He would be a great player whereever he played.but I think playing on a team like the Pistons who play alot of slow, grained it out style of play would be more difficult for his style of play. And Billups in my opinion doesnt create for others as well as Andre does. People should just let the if Melo was a Piston thing go.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting King James X3:</div><div class="quote_post">Anyhow, could you imagine if Detroit HAD selected Carmelo Anthony this season? There lineup would have been tremendous... PG: Billups SG: Hamiliton SF: Carmelo Anthony PF: Rasheed Wallace C: Ben Wallace ... I'm sure it's a thought that had to run through Detroits front office's mind, as great as they are now with Rasheed, they would be FINALS bound with Carmelo on their roster.</div> Please. If you're going to play fantasy GM, realize that if the Pistons had drafted Anthony, the entire Rasheed Wallace transaction may not (and most likely would not) have happened. May as well just put your five most favorite players on a lineup and say, "What if?..." The entire Darko/Carmelo crap is tiresome. The Nuggets, despite their wonderous start, have lost eight of 10 and are in danger of being caught by the Jazz or the Jailblazers for the last playoff spot in the West. Detroit, with their latest acquisition, has won seven of their last 10 and held three straight opponents under 70 points. I think Joe D. and company are doing just fine, and until Darko is out of the league with career stats similar to Fennis Dembo's, the jury, as they say, should stay out.
