# What were the pistons thinking?



## gp366 (Jul 19, 2003)

They drafted Darko ahead of Melo?

WERE THEY CRAZY!?!?

Darko = can't score a point (even with a dunk).

Melo = my pic for Rookie of the year.


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## MJG (Jun 29, 2003)

It's as if everyone is forgetting the word "project." I'm not saying that Darko will be better than Anthony or even a good player in the long run, but you should try waiting a few seasons before going overboard.


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## tpb2 (Oct 23, 2003)

> It's as if everyone is forgetting the word "project." I'm not saying that Darko will be better than Anthony or even a good player in the long run, but you should try waiting a few seasons before going overboard.


Really. 

People are obsessed with instant results - simply amazing how people can think that way. You could go on and on with examples showing this makes no sense.


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## Nevus (Jun 3, 2003)

Joe Dumars says that Darko will be able to do everything that Carmelo can do, plus Darko is 7'1".


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## Natty Dreadlockz (Jul 21, 2003)

The Pistons already have a young talented small forward in Prince... Dumars has said many time's that was a deciding factor in his reasoning for drafting Darko.


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## jericho (Jul 12, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Eagle</b>!
> The Pistons already have a young talented small forward in Prince... Dumars has said many time's that was a deciding factor in his reasoning for drafting Darko.


Yes, but...Detroit also has talented young interior players (in addition to their old fogies). Darko isn't getting any floor time because he was drafted by a time that's playing to win now--and win a lot. He would be getting at least a few more minutes on a team that's not so deep in the middle. I'm sure Anthony would be getting serious minutes for the Pistons now, would be no worse than their third option on offense, and would be helping to make them a better team even in their rookie year. 

I can't really judge the decision to draft Darko because I haven't seen him play. But I have to suspect that Dumars figured the guy was going to earn more playing time than he has, and I wouldn't be surprised if old Joe occasionally dreams about Anthony in a Pistons uniform.


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## #1BucksFan (Apr 14, 2003)

At least the Pistons didn't draft Nick Collison


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## Natty Dreadlockz (Jul 21, 2003)

> Yes, but...Detroit also has talented young interior players (in addition to their old fogies). Darko isn't getting any floor time because he was drafted by a time that's playing to win now--and win a lot. He would be getting at least a few more minutes on a team that's not so deep in the middle. I'm sure Anthony would be getting serious minutes for the Pistons now, would be no worse than their third option on offense, and would be helping to make them a better team even in their rookie year.


I'm agree'n with you somewhat, when Detroit picked him he was doomed... Brown doesn't play rook's... If Dumars had drafted Melo, he wouldn't of been receiving half the min's he's currently getting either... Prince is no herb, and his game compliment's da Pistons style of play more than Melo's... Detroit's plan all along was to sit Darko, so he could adjust to the US and the NBA... He'll be aiight in a couple year's when he get's an opportunity.


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## MDTS and MCTS (Sep 2, 2003)

He only averaged like 9 points a game in Europe, This is going to be one long *** project


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## Natty Dreadlockz (Jul 21, 2003)

That's pretty much what I was thinking.


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## Lope31 (Jun 11, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>gp366</b>!
> They drafted Darko ahead of Melo?
> 
> WERE THEY CRAZY!?!?
> ...


Why didn't you tell Joe Dumars this then? Geez man you shouldn't have waited so long, if you see something point it out, we need your help!


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## MagnusPinus (Aug 27, 2003)

Wait.... that's the key word..
anyway melo is the perfect suit for Denver... that had already young big men.


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## JustinSane (May 26, 2003)

I think it's possible Dumars made the right pick partially for the wrong reason. Carmelo is great, no question. He would likely be starting for the Pistons now and getting about 15/5/3, which is of course far more production than they are currently getting from Darko and better than what Prince is putting up. (10.8/5.4/2.7) In his prime, it looks like Carmelo will be good for 23/8/5 and a fixture in the all star game. 

Tayshaun Prince was reportedly the deciding factor in drafting Darko. I've watched a lot of Pistons games this season, and I'm not sure how much better he is going to get. He has a solid all-around game and is good defensively, but he will never match Carmelo's production. He's an excellent bench player who happens to be starting. As a starter, he is a bit below average. In other words, not a good reason to have passed on Carmelo.

That doesn't me that there are not good reasons to have chosen Darko. First, a physical comparison between the two favors Milicic. In pre-draft testing, Darko was within 1% of Melo's scores athletically with a 5 inch height advantage. That's impressive. Of course, such tests can't measure such things as court savvy and scoring ability, attributes Carmelo has in abundance. Still, the prospect of such a freakishly athletic big man is intriguing. Second, with Melo, the Pistons would be almost entirely reliant on perimeter scoring. Their three best scorers would be at the 1, the 2, and the 3. Unless you have Michael Jordan, it's incredibly tough to win championships without a offensive presence in the low post. Okur is promising, but his game is outside-in more than pure post or inside-out. Basically, though talented this team would have a basic structural defect.

A recent interview with Joe Dumars was quite interesting. He said he was very pleased with Darko's development and work ethic and that watching him in practice, where he sometimes outplays Wallace, Okur, Campbell, etc. that it was difficult to believe that he won't have forced his way into the line-up by the end of the season, possibly even starting. Considering that Dumars well knows Brown's distate for playing rookies, particularly rookies without four years of college experience, this is very high praise. Darko would have to be not just better than the Piston's current big men, he would have to be substantially, undeniably better than Okur or Campbell for Brown to swallow his pride and start the kid. Considering how good they are, that would make him the best 18 year old post player in NBA history. In another 5 years, he could be the second best player in the game. (LeBron is unreal IMHO.) Could he end up a bust? Sure. Is he more likely to be a bust than Carmelo? Absolutely. Is he more likely to be the best player in the NBA at some point than Carmelo? I think so. Is he more likely to lead the Pistons to a championship? Dumars thinks so, and so do I. So that might have been what the Pistons were thinking.

As an off-topic aside, the Nuggets are my second favorite team and I fully expect to see you guys in the finals within a few years. Nene rules


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