my position on darko has only strengthened.

i have always said that darko would do well when given major meaningful minutes. i don't think there is any dispute that when given regular and meaningful minutes darko was producing and getting better. the dispute was should he be given them or just let him rot on the bench until another team wants him in free agency. i have always been a person that says give him the minutes so he can get better for us not for the rest of the nba.

leading the nba in shot blocking in the preseason was just the start. we are seeing his excellent passing ability in his garbage time minutes of late. his outside jumper is also starting to be very consistent. i feel that with increased playing time this will only get better. he is a very unselfish player that likes to create for his teammates. he's also a good defender. his weakness on defense in my opinion is just based on chemistry. he sometimes helps on defense expecting someone else to help on his man and it doesn't always work out like that. his weakness in rebounding isn't really there. it also isn't really an issue when paired with a rebounder i.e. jmax.

the reason i feel the pistons org is in no rush to put darko in to see what he has is because they already know. we the fans are the only ones that aren't really sure about darko's skill level.

flip should have no problem playing the subs longer. the starters often get bored and let teams get back into the game. flip can sub in one or two of the younger guys and this will keep the starters interested. this will also cost us no more wins than the starters lack of interest costs us. giving darko a role in the wins and losses will only make him better.

Whaaaaaaaat?

Oddly enough, I find myself agreeing with you here. IRREGARDLESS of the record, I'm still wondering about Flip's management skills. I think he's grown too fond of sitting back and letting his amazing starters run the show. IMO...the Piston Lamborghini is on cruise control. Any car/driving fanatic can tell you that Lamborghinis' perform best when they're thrashed. I think Flip is scared to push the envelope and risk a spinout.

the pistons know they have a gem sitting on thier bench. there is no urgency to put him on the court for "testing and evaluation" reasons. there have been numerous trade offers for darko involving known quantities yet the pistons turned those down. darko is an unknown to some of the fans. he isn't an unknown to those inside the pistons org. i think they feel why put dmc on the court and go through growing pains when you can put mcdyess in and he will light it up. darko will go through his growing pains when the team is doing a little restructuring.

i feel the pistons turned those down because they know dmc is going to be a very good player. they already know he can play that's why joe extended his contract. darko's trade value was never higher than at the end of lb's era. joe could have made a trade then and there if he was unsure about darko.

i abstain from the vote

Good poll. I think Darko has NBA skills, he will just never be much of anything here. He won't get the PT to develop, period. Our big 3 up front will be here the next 2-3 years for sure. Darko's contract will be up by then and he'll do one of three things:

1. sign an extension before then (won't happen unless he doesn't care about starting for 5 years)

2. Sign the qualifying offer to become a unrestricted free agent the next year (Pistons cannot match offers for him)

3. Sign an offer with another team and hope the pistons don't match. (this is what I think will happen because we can't afford to pay a project over 10 mil a year...which he would be for sure with taxes figured in).

I think our options are to trade him, or Dyess. And since we are winning with Dyess, I say trade him. He may become something on another team, but he'll never become anything here (unless he choses option #1).

Why won't Flip let the bench work as unit? We know this is a good bench. It could spell the starters for 2 minute stretches in each quarter. And they wouldn't need time to develope with the starters.[until one went down]. It's clear Mo doesn't truly fit in with the starters. But let him run wild with the Brahma and it could be BIG fun.
TDrib
Fino
Mo or Amir
JMax or Amir
Darko
I left Dyess out on purpose.

I went with the call. If I was playing behind MJ and couldn't get minutes, there would be disruptions. However if they gave me a decent contract I might sit still and enjoy the view. With dreams of 'ship rings dancing in my head.

I think that at this point, Joe D is working on a draw. His current hand isn't that great, but he has the potential to improve it considerably, depending on the outcome of the turn and river, or he could end up with nothing.

Does Joe stick around and hope to hit his flush, or does he fold now and cut his losses before the cost to see the next 2 cards gets too high?

Someone remind me why sending #31 down to the NBDL is never discussed?

Wouldn't it be better for him to play against fresh faces? It seemed to boost his game during the Euro Tourney.

DMC can't be sent down. Only first and second year players. Technically, he's a 3rd year NBA veteran.

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Nov 13 LW Milan Lucic had an active night. He scored his first goal in eight games since his Oct. 25 hat trick and also pounded Michael Komisarek in a third-period fight. Lucic cut his hand in a fight with Michael Komisarek. "I'll be fine," he said. "(X-rays are) negative, but there's so many broken bones in there from before you can't really tell."