Darko Time

[Scott]

Darko time

By Sekou K Smith | Thursday, July 5, 2007, 11:51 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

As much as I was against Detroit drafting Darko Milicic at No. 2 in the 2003 draft, I have to admit to being an unabashed advocate for the big fella now. If the Hawks want to shore up a major position of need, why not chase Darko and see if they can pull it off?

He’s an unrestricted free agent now and a player that will be hard to come by because of the Hawks’ limited cap space (after years of people complaining about the Hawks having too much now they wish they had a little more) and residency in the same (Southeast) division as the Magic.

That said, The Hawks have plenty of the tools needed to try and make this happen (veterans with expiring contracts, young talent, etc.). But it’ll be a tough sell with most teams reluctant to deal in the same division, so as not to assist a direct competitor. But the Hawks have nothing to lose and quite a bit to gain in the 7-foot, 275-pound Milicic, who despite whatever limitations remain in his game is a an absolute physical specimen.

Listen, I know the stigma this guy has carried the past few years is hard to look past. But it wasn’t his fault that some of these so-called experts you all love to hype up around here had him rated as the No. 1 player in his draft class (and if you do the research, you’ll see where folks suggested that the Cavs should bypass LeBron for Darko, seriously someone wrote that). And don’t think I’ve forgotten about all the players (Anthony, Bosh, Wade, Kaman, Hinrich, Collison, West, Diaw, Barbosa, Howard and others) that were taken after Milicic (8 points and 5 rebounds in roughly 24 minutes per game last season) that have turned out to be much more productive thus far in their NBA careers.

The fact is, size is always at a premium in the NBA. Everybody needs quality big men. Hawks fans know this better than anyone. So why not dangle a package of say Josh Childress, Anthony Johnson and Lorenzen Wright for Darko - and if you were really slick you could try and get Keith Bogans, that gritty 2-guard type the Hawks could use, thrown in as well, in a sign-and-trade deal that gives you two more solid and experienced pros on a Hawks roster always in need of that kind of help? I don’t like the idea of giving up Childress (the other guys have expiring contracts and are vets, so they know the predicament they are in) anymore than some of you, but I understand you have to give up a valued player in order to get someone of value in return.

A good friend who covers the league in another city even floated the idea of sending Zaza Pachulia back to the Magic in a package for Darko, but I honestly think Zaza is more valuable than Darko for the purposes of this upcoming season. And I don’t think parting with a young big for a young big is what the Hawks should be doing at this stage of the game.

The only problem with all this yapping is the Hawks haven’t shown any reported interest in Darko and there has been no reported interest in the Hawks from Darko’s camp. But things can change quickly in the wild and crazy world of NBA free agency. A week ago no one knew that Rashard Lewis would be joining the Magic and opening up the possibility for others (like the Hawks) to get in on the hunt for Darko.

One last thing, the Hawks’ summer league roster is soon to hit the web. Most of the usual suspects are on there (Horford, Law IV and second year guys Shelden Williams and Solomon Jones). Knowing how well versed you all are with digging up information on your own, I won’t bother with thumbnail bios on the rest of the summer leaguers. But I will pass long their names for you to chew on over lunch (some you’ll recognize and others you won’t, but keep in mind that only some of these cats will be heading to Salt Lake City next week for game action): Todd Abernathy, James Beasley, Craig Bradshaw, Earl Calloway, Antawn Dobie, Edwin Draughan, Teddy Gipson, Devin Green, Jarrius Jackson, Robby Lawrence, Brent Petway, Derek Raivio, Brion Rush, Ronell Taylor, Terrance Thomas, Mario West and Dashaun Wood.

[djcorley]

I only recognize about 2 or 3 of those summer league names??? Where in the heck did they come up with those guys?

[pimp]

I would not trade Childress for Darko.

I think that helps Orlando more than us, because that would help fill out thier starting lineup

Plus, Where is Darko gonna play?? We already have

Smith pf - sf

Horford pf-c

Shelden pf-c

Zaza C

Jones pf-c

[DJ_Money]

Scott, just off the top of my head, I recognize a few names...

Bradshaw was the big man on that Winthrop team. Jackson was the big player at SG for Texas Tech, Petway is the athletic Forward from Michigan, Raivio was at Gonzaga, Ronell Taylor was on that UAB team that upset Kentucky in the NCAAs a few years ago (I think his brother, Donell, played with the Wiz last year), and Mario West is from GT, of course.

Most summer league players are just there to fill out a roster. I don't really expect much or care to see much from any of them. Of course, they're trying to make a team or just get an invite to camp, so they'll be looking to show their skills, while all we want it to see them defer to Horford, Acie, etc.

[bfwolf]

Why would we give the Magic anything for an unrestricted FA? We need to free up cap space? Fine, trade some guys for picks.

[atlien]

Yeah, i'd prefer packaging Shelly or Zaza (preferably Shelly)

If Shelly + AJ and 'Lo can get it done, then I'm all for that sign-and-trade.

A big rotation of Horford, Darko and Zaza would be nice.

[Guest Walter]

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I would not trade Childress for Darko. I think that helps Orlando more than us, because that would help fill out thier starting lineup

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I would send both ZaZa(or maybe SW)/Childress for a reasonably resigned Darko ($7 million starting for 4 years) and Bogans or (prefered) lotto protected 1st. Why?

1) Darko has potential, upside, and value. Say what you want about him being the #2 overall pick but he does.

2) Darko has a nice, proven, varied skill set at center and like Gasol could be an excellent compliment to Horford at Pf. I wrote that Gasol is a 4.5 and Horford is a 4.25. I believe Darko is a 4.5. The combo of a 4.5 and a 4.25 works out better than a 4.25 (Horford) and Josh Smith (3.5) in the post. Just add them up (literally).

3) Darko provides more varied lineups than ZaZa does.

4) Darko stepped up in the playoffs against Detroit despite the Orlando loss.

5) I cannot see ZaZa ever as a contenders starting center. I can Darko.

6) I do not see ZaZa to be as a good compliment to Horford.

7) Childress will be a RFA this summer and we will not be able to afford both he and JS. Time to go ahead and plan for tomorrow.

8) We need a BU Sg (Bogans) more than a BU SF (Childress).

9) Darko will continue to have trade value even at a $7 million starting salary, particularly if we work out a 4 year deal.

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Plus, Where is Darko gonna play?? We already have

Smith pf - sf

Horford pf-c

Shelden pf-c

Zaza C

Jones pf-c

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Well, I traded ZaZa (or SW) and I don't care about SJ. I of course think JS can play Sf for us for the majority of the time. The EC is getting bigger and better. Randolph in NY might make them a force. Better to match up without creating a liability and frankly we could own teams physically and athletically with a frontline of Darko, Horford, and JS.

W

[bfwolf]

I don't understand. Is Darko or is he not an unrestricted FA? And if he is, then why are we talking about sign and trades?

[mrhonline]

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I don't understand. Is Darko or is he not an unrestricted FA? And if he is, then why are we talking about sign and trades?

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Because the Hawks would need to offer more than $6M starting to get Darko to sign here over playoff teams.

[Sothron]

I agree with Walter. Having Dark at center moves Horford to his natural position at PF and moves Smoove back to his natural position of SF. Let Marvin come off the bench and over the course of a game there will be plenty of minutes for all of our forwards and centers to get them.

[bfwolf]

Agreed. That means we have to clear cap space. It DOESN'T mean we have to deal with Orlando. We can clear cap space with anybody who's got cap space of their own (e.g. trade Lue to Charlotte for a 2nd rounder) and then sign Darko. That way, we at least get something back for our players before overpaying Darko.

[drzachary]

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I agree with Walter. Having Dark at center moves Horford to his natural position at PF and moves Smoove back to his natural position of SF. Let Marvin come off the bench and over the course of a game there will be plenty of minutes for all of our forwards and centers to get them.

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Smoove as a natural SF is really, really debatable. He needs a much better perimeter game, IMO. Then again, maybe we're just all too set in our ways, saying that we need a 1,2,3,4 and 5. There's nothing really wrong with a 1.25, 2, 3.5, 4.25 and 4.5, which is what Law/JJ/Smoove/Horford/Darko would be.

(On the flip-side, there's a definite speed/athleticism advantage to a 1.25, 2, 3, 3.5, 4.25, which is Law/JJ/Marv/Smoov/Horford.)

[Sothron]

Exactly. Smoove can bully around most SFs with his frame now and he still has a good first step to get by people. I 100% agree his jumpshot still needs major work but we should be able to bruise enough frontcourts with that lineup to get by.

[gsuteke]

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I agree with Walter. Having Dark at center moves Horford to his natural position at PF and moves Smoove back to his natural position of SF. Let Marvin come off the bench and over the course of a game there will be plenty of minutes for all of our forwards and centers to get them.

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Smoove as a natural SF is really, really debatable. He needs a much better perimeter game, IMO. Then again, maybe we're just all too set in our ways, saying that we need a 1,2,3,4 and 5. There's nothing really wrong with a 1.25, 2, 3.5, 4.25 and 4.5, which is what Law/JJ/Smoove/Horford/Darko would be.

(On the flip-side, there's a definite speed/athleticism advantage to a 1.25, 2, 3, 3.5, 4.25, which is Law/JJ/Marv/Smoov/Horford.)

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we've seen that time and time again the past 2 seasons.

[drzachary]

I'd agree that Smith's defense at the 3 is suspect. However, it's also true the last few seasons that there's been no one of any defensive worth in the paint, so it's a hard evaluation to make.

[Guest Walter]

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I'd agree that Smith's defense at the 3 is suspect. However, it's also true the last few seasons that there's been no one of any defensive worth in the paint, so it's a hard evaluation to make.

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It's also a hard evaluation to make because he plays so little 3 with MW here and with MW not on the floor (and the BUs are) the team's talent level is generally lower.

W

[drzachary]

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I'd agree that Smith's defense at the 3 is suspect. However, it's also true the last few seasons that there's been no one of any defensive worth in the paint, so it's a hard evaluation to make.

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It's also a hard evaluation to make because he plays so little 3 with MW here and with MW not on the floor (and the BUs are) the team's talent level is generally lower.

W

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The cynic in me would like to point out that it's hard to make any evaluations like 'how good is our player (X) at position (Y)' because our team does not seem to have any clear positional definition, traditionally speaking.

[Guest Walter]

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Smoove as a natural SF is really, really debatable. He needs a much better perimeter game, IMO. Then again, maybe we're just all too set in our ways, saying that we need a 1,2,3,4 and 5. There's nothing really wrong with a 1.25, 2, 3.5, 4.25 and 4.5, which is what Law/JJ/Smoove/Horford/Darko would be.

(On the flip-side, there's a definite speed/athleticism advantage to a 1.25, 2, 3, 3.5, 4.25, which is Law/JJ/Marv/Smoov/Horford.)

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http://www.82games.com/0607/06ATL11C.HTM

82 games indicates that the team's overall defense was VERY slightly better with JS at Sf vs Pf. To add credence to this is indicates just how much our defense was with JS at the Sg and C positions.

He also scored more PPG as a Sf and shot better. His PER was SLIGHTLY worse there vs. Pf but that is a difference made by the obvious positioning rebounding advantage a Pf has over a Sf.

I'd rather have a 1.25, 2, 3.5, 4.25 and 4.5 than a 1.25, 2, 3, 3.5, 4.25 and frankly I can't imagine any team that wouldn't. Speedy/athleticism advantage? Small if any (Darko is no slouch athletically) and size-wise we are at a HUGE disadvantage with Horford and JS at the 4/5. In fact, it's more than a whole position advantage. JS being a 3.5. Horford being a 4.25. Together they are a 7.75 and 9 would be the "average". We sacrifice a whole position at least with this tandem. Dangerously stupid.

W

[Nicholasp27]

smoove is our starter (and 30mpg) at pf for the next 10 years

u get darko, then where do horford/zaza/shelden play?

if u really like darko so much, then u trade zaza/lo/lue(aj) for him, not chill

we need chill at 2/3, but if we get darko we don't need zaza with darko/horford/shelden/solo at the 5

[Sothron]

You put Smoove at starting SF, which is his natural position. You put Horford at his natural position at PF. You put Darko at his natural position at C. You then have, for the first time since BK took over, real starters playing their natural positions at all five spots. Zaza backs up Darko, Shellhead backs up Horford, Marvin backups Smoove and Chill backs up JJ with either Law backing up Claxton or the other way around.