Darko days
He may be the reason Larry Brown probably won't be coaching the Pistons next season. Darko Milicic, the 7-foot Serbian center, was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft. Brown isn't exactly fond of international players and, though active, Milicic has played just 19 minutes in the playoffs and only four scoreless minutes in this series before Game 4.
There has been talk the Pistons will try to include him in some trade package this summer. Milicic, who turns 20 on Monday, has dropped hints about returning to play in Europe after next season, when the Pistons have the option of extending his deal.
"Right now it is about winning and supporting my team," Milicic said. "During the season, all I was waiting for was a chance to get some playing time (he played a total of 254 minutes), 10-to-15 minutes to show people what I can do. I came here to play and enjoy basketball. It's really hard."
"Everyone says be patient, I'll have a long career. . . . If you ask me if it was better to stay in Europe."
I like this guy. He's athletic, big-bodied, tall (7'1'' in shoes) and is a great talent from what I've seen of him when he played for Hemofarm. He wasn't in Tskitishvili mold - he actually played and he knew what to do on the court. His best atribute was his heard - it looked like he really cares on the court. I thought he was capable of having 15-25 productive minutes per game when he first came into the league. But now? Unhappy, rotting on Larry Brown's bench. They better trade him to a team which can actually develop him or send him back to Europe. They should be punished, if they don't. IMHO, his best case scenario is still far better that the one of Dirk or Bogut.
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