Pistons trade Darko.

[Rice 42]

Darko's Out.

Arroyo and Milicic for Cato and a 1st.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

I honestly believe Dumars will make another deal, he's given himself a week to figure something else out, that's if he hasn't got a deal in the works already. There must be more to come.

[Rice 42]

I honestly believe Dumars will make another deal, he's given himself a week to figure something else out, that's if he hasn't got a deal in the works already. There must be more to come.

Do you mean another deal completely or another deal involving Darko? Cause Darko's already gone.

[Cruiser008 37]

Whoa! We (finally) gave up on Darko!?!?

Wow that 2nd overall selection looks awfully back right about now (*cough Anthony cough Bosh cough Wade cough*), although hopefully we'll get something good out of Orlando's 1st rounder down the road

[Rice 42]

Whoa! We (finally) gave up on Darko!?!?

Wow that 2nd overall selection looks awfully back right about now (*cough Anthony cough Bosh cough Wade cough*), although hopefully we'll get something good out of Orlando's 1st rounder down the road

JJ Reddick, anyone?

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Do you mean another deal completely or another deal involving Darko? Cause Darko's already gone.

Yeh another deal completely. There's massive rumours regarding the Knicks being interested in Cato, well we could send him to NY, and maybe we'll get Jalen Rose in return. We were interested in him during the off season, so maybe we could make another deal. (Even though Rose has a pretty huge contract, hopefully we could work something out )

Edited February 16, 2006 by Aussie_Wing

[OsGOD 3]

Wow, don't know anything about Darko except DONNIE rox!!!! but i know a guy at work that will be devistated tomorrow!

[betterREDthandead 58]

J.J. Redick is a senior and the pick isn't til 2007 (and even then, it's top-five protected, so #6 is the best the Pistons can do in '07). Might not get the pick til 2008.

It's a straight-up cap space trade. If the Knicks are interested in Cato, that only fits with their track record of acquiring useless players with huge contracts that always get hurt.

Here come the pundits laughing it up at the Pistons for wasting the 2nd rounder on Darko. But if the Pistons had Wade, Carmelo, or Bosh, they'd probably be getting traded right about now anyway, because they'd never have made a name for themselves the way the Pistons have rolled since the Darko pick.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

This is from a Pistons forum, and surprisingly he’s not a Detroit fan. It's just a brilliant post though.

"I think you guys won the trade. True, Milicic has 'potential', but you are going to get a chance to get a new lottery pick with the Orlando first rounder, someone talented because they will be in the lottery, and someone who might have something more important than 'potential'. That something being 'heart'.

Darko for a first rounder, 8 million in capspace, and clearing a bad contract (Arroyo) is a great deal for Detroit. You can find better uses for 8 million dollars than Darko and Arroyo.

Let the Magic figure out if they want to pay Darko 8-10 million per year within two years to be just like Kwame Brown."

[timothy1997 0]

even tho i don't like this trade, it makes sense to me. Cato is not going anywhere. The pistons aquired cato in order to get rid of him. Cato is making $8 towards the cap and becomes a free agent next year. Cato will not be re-signed and the money from cato will go towards resigning ben wallace and chauncey billups.

[mannysBETTER3434 1]

I think Joe is really taking a big chance by trading Arroyo. Now don't get me wrong, I can't stand Arroyo, but we are putting alot of weight on Lindsay Hunter's shoulders. Unless were going to trade for another PG before the deadline.

[timothy1997 0]

i think this opens the door for the pistons to resign mike james for the postseason

[johnogrodnickfanclub 0]

we're not getting another point guard...forget whatever you heard about jalen rose or mike james...or anyone else. we're standing pat.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

we're not getting another point guard...forget whatever you heard about jalen rose or mike james...or anyone else. we're standing pat.

Pistons send Milicic and Arroyo to Magic for Cato and first-round pick

AUBURN HILLS - Next step for the Pistons - find some insurance at the point guard position.

At about 7 p.m. Wednesday, the Pistons and Orlando Magic finalized a trade that had been talked about for over a month.

The move has virtually no short-term impact for the Pistons. Arroyo's minutes had been cut to less than 10 a game, and Milicic was out of the rotation.

Long-term, though, the Pistons gain not only a first-round draft pick, but also $8.7 million in cap space created by Cato's expiring contract. The Pistons, as of Wednesday evening, hadn't decided whether or not to bring Cato in for a medical examination or simple waive him. He has been out most of the season with a right foot injury.

Right now, I have to get to work on finding another back-up point guard, Dumars said.

With Arroyo gone, the Pistons are left with 35-year-old Lindsey Hunter, who is just now getting back into shape after preseason ankle surgery, and rookie Alex Acker, who has yet to play in an NBA game."

[johnogrodnickfanclub 0]

Aussie, dont' be dumb enough to ever believe what a GM says. Fer cryin out loud...you're at a Red Wings site...you NEVER believe what comes out of a GM's mouth. I mean...Dumars is the same guy that said not too long ago that he still believes in Darko and sees Darko as part of the Pistons future.

I know you're smarter than that.

So use you're brain. Arroyo is gone...Darko is gone...Cato might not even make it here, and might just get waived, so he's probably gone. What on earth will we trade? Not trading Chauncey, Rip, Ben, Sheed, Tay. Can't trade Dice...he's Sheed and Ben's backup. Can't trade Delfino...he's Rip and Tay's backup. Can't trade Lindsay...because if you want a better point guard, you certainly won't get it by giving away a lesser point guard. We're not trading a pick...because we have no 1st rounder this coming draft...and we'll need to get a draft pick the following draft in the 1st to restock young talent.

So what do you trade? Alex Acker? Dale Davis? Maurice Evans? Amir Johnson? Jason Maxiell? You won't get a good PG from those guys. The only PG we can get is some very low level player from the D-League...who will be someone that plays BEHIND Lindsey...or some scrub that's not on any team, which is also a player that would play BEHIND Lindsey.

We simply don't have the goods to get a QUALITY point guard.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Well if you insist that we’re not doing any more deals, then we’re been absolutely destroyed in this trade. I don’t want to hear the nonsense about salary cap relief, there’s no way you would trade way a potential superstar in Milicic for some extra cash. Joe Dumars has been saying all along that he’s been getting plenty of offers for Milicic, however all of a sudden he trades him away for someone who we’re unlikely to keep, and a draft pick that is most likely going to be in the 10-15 range? That’s ridiculous.

You can believe that he’s not going to make another deal, but I have confidence in Dumars and I don’t think he would be so stupid as to leave the situation as it currently is. I think we should look at today’s trade as Part I, and more is soon to follow….

[johnogrodnickfanclub 0]

Well if you insist that we’re not doing any more deals, then we’re been absolutely destroyed in this trade. I don’t want to hear the nonsense about salary cap relief, there’s no way you would trade way a potential superstar in Milicic for some extra cash. Joe Dumars has been saying all along that he’s been getting plenty of offers for Milicic, however all of a sudden he trades him away for someone who we’re unlikely to keep, and a draft pick that is most likely going to be in the 10-15 range? That’s ridiculous.

You can believe that he’s not going to make another deal, but I have confidence in Dumars and I don’t think he would be so stupid as to leave the situation as it currently is. I think we should look at today’s trade as Part I, and more is soon to follow….

We're not absolutely destroyed at all! What sort of idiotic nonsense is that? Arroyo is nothing special...no team in the entire NBA would be destroyed by losing Arroyo, much less a team like the Pistons. And Darko...same thing...no team in the entire NBA would be destroyed in losing Darko, much less a team like the Pistons.

Jason Kidd called Lindsey Hunter the best defender he's ever played against. Sure...maybe Lindsey isn't a offensive whiz...but that's ok. Tay, Rip, Delfino, and Lindsey are all perfectly capable of handling the ball when Chauncey takes a breather.

You actually think we're DESTROYED by this trade? I'm sorry...that's the dumbest thing I've heard in a long time. That's just hilarious.

And you call salary cap non-sense?!?!?!?! Did you know that the Chicago Bulls have been SALIVATING at the idea of getting Ben Wallace in the off season? Do you know why the Bulls thought they could get Ben? Because the Bulls KNEW that the Pistons couldn't keep both Chauncey AND Ben...not with the way things were.

Do you know what the Bulls are saying NOW? They're cursing their fortune because now they know the Pistons can keep both Ben and Chauncey with out any worries.

And again...I ask you...WHAT THE *** can we trade for a GOOD backup point guard? NOTHING. All we can get is a scrub to backup Lindsey...

Our ONLY hope would be finding a PG on the last year his contract where the team KNOWS the player won't be back...in which case, they might be willing to take whatever they can get...and it'll probably have to be with a non-playoff team. But even then...if the player is any good, I'd think they'd want more than the filth we can offer them.

Edited February 16, 2006 by johnogrodnickfanclub

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Fair enough, I can tell you’re pretty fired up over my posts. I’m not saying that our chances for the Championship have been destroyed, not at all. I’m only saying that in this trade we easily got the rough end of the stick. In my opinion we could have done much better. Yes I agree with you on Arroyo, it’s extremely unlikely he’ll ever amount to anything in this league. I’m not so sure about Darko though, I guess we’ll find out soon enough. It’s the truth that he hasn’t done anything to warrant being kept, but you can’t help but stress when you trade away someone that could be so vital to your future.

As I quoted before, it was only a matter of hours ago when Joe Dumars publicly stated that he needs to go to work on finding another PG. Now I know you feel we don’t have anything to offer, but I doubt Dumars would make such a direct statement if he had no intention of keeping it. Realistically all we have to offer is Cato and the draft pick we received, and this may or may not be enough. But I doubt Dumars is confident at Hunter being the back up, especially when he’s only just returning from a major injury. In 2003/04, Mike James and Hunter were the back ups. Last season it was Arroyo and Hunter. Are you saying that for these upcoming playoffs we have to solely rely on an underdone and limited offensive PG?

I’ve heard rumours that we may be interested in Jay Williams. Far fetched, but I guess what I'm trying to say is that nothing’s impossible.

Edited February 16, 2006 by Aussie_Wing

[gowingsgo 3]

I wonder when General Managers are going to start drafting kids who have shown themselves to be elite players as opposed to drafting a prospect, see Kwame Brown, Darko, etc for future reference.

This has been a major problem from a quality standpoint in the league.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

I wonder when General Managers are going to start drafting kids who have shown themselves to be elite players as opposed to drafting a prospect, see Kwame Brown, Darko, etc for future reference.

This has been a major problem from a quality standpoint in the league.

Yeh, not a bad post at all. Another one in that class is Nikoloz Tskitishvili. He was drafted 5th overall, yet he's escaped criticism. He's got career averages of 3.0 pts and 1.8 rbs, and he's already been on 4 teams.

[eva unit zero 271]

I wonder when General Managers are going to start drafting kids who have shown themselves to be elite players as opposed to drafting a prospect, see Kwame Brown, Darko, etc for future reference.

This has been a major problem from a quality standpoint in the league.

How does one show themselves to be an elite player before he actually plays?

Darko was considered not just a perfectly valid No.2, but the LIKELY No.2 even before the Pistons made their pick.

The problem was not his ability, he played well when he was in the game. He was simply never used by Larry Brown, and Flip Saunders figured that the Pistons won a championship and lost another without using Darko, so he clearly was unneccessary.

As for the arguments about Wade or Anthony...

Wade would be a backup to Rip and Chauncey, he would not have become the star he is right away.

Would you rather have Anthony or Prince? Personally, I would rather have Prince. Meaning Anthony ALSO would have been a backup, and would not have been an instant star.

Darko gets drafted by a team that will actually play him, how do you know he doesn't do the same thing?

I don't think this will necessarily bite us in the ass..but I certainly expect Darko to put up some pretty nice performances in a place he'll actually be USED.

[dallas27 7]

This team would be worse with Bosh, Wade, or Carmello...FYI

Nobody comes within a miles length of these guys when they bring it. See the S.A. games?

[gowingsgo 3]

Honestly, the Pistons didnt need that #2 pick. You only had it because of a trade, not for the reasons the other teams in the lottery had lotter picks. So from the standpoint of drafting a player who has PROVEN his ability in 2, 3 or 4 seasons of college ball or by picking a kid who was barely 18 at the time and hasn't shown he can play with grown men, the Pistons messed up. But still, how much more can you add to your team? You have all the pieces in place. Drafting a stud like Wade, Anthony or whoever else has done well from that draft would have created a situation where you have a backup player crying for more PT and for a good reason.