Magic may do a deal with Pistons

BY JOHN DENTON
FLORIDA TODAY

ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic have made inquiries into possibly trading for Detroit Pistons reserve power forward Darko Milicic and point guard Carlos Arroyo, but assistant general manager Otis Smith said no deal is imminent.

The Magic could be offering reserve center Kelvin Cato, who has played just 23 games this season because of ankle, foot and shoulder injuries. The 6-foot-11, 275-pound center hasn't played since Jan. 18 after spraining his ankle. Cato has a cracked bone in his right foot and isn't expected to play until after the All-Star break.

If healthy, Cato could give the Pistons another center for the playoffs against possible foes Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan and Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

Detroit might be willing to make Milicic, 20, available considering the tremendously disappointing start to his career. He was the second overall choice of the 2003 NBA Draft -- ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Kirk Hinrich -- but has played sparingly the past three seasons, scoring just 152 points in 95 games.
He's played a total of 137 minutes in 24 games this season.

Arroyo is expendable now that Lindsey Hunter is back after missing the first three months of the season with surgery on his left ankle.

"We've talked with them, but we've talked to a lot of teams," Smith said. "I still like the team that we've assembled, but we just haven't been able to see it together because of injuries. So we're having to look at some different things. You can't just be stagnant. Like they say, if you're not getting better, you're getting worse."

I don't think there is anyway Joe Dumars does the deal in that form. I could possibly envision a Darko and Arroyo for Kato, Jameer Nelson, and the #9 pick though. I'm sure that would make many Pistons fans happy

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I have nothing to say.

No way I would do it for Kato straight up. We can't trade Arroyo without another PG option, and right now we still aren't 100% certain what we'll get from LH coming off the injury.

I think with Kato plus EITHER Nelson OR the pick may be enough to get it done. I think it would probably have to include Nelson, though (rather than the pick) because 1) we know we need a backup point to replace Arroyo and 2) it doesn't make sense for the Magic to trade for Arroyo unless they have the idea of starting him.

Orlando is just trying to get even for the G. Hill robbery. They want to send us a guy with rubber ankles. No deal.

Your statement makes me wonder if this is why we aren't seeing Lindsey right now. If it becomes known that LH is 100% healthy and as good as ever, we lose bargaining strength needed to include Nelson. Dollar-wise the deal dosen't have to include Nelson.

THat's an ugly trade... if we deal Darko it should be to the western conf.
Nobody wants to see him come back to haunt the team when he grows up.
We can do a lot better than that... I'll bet we could get someone like Pietrus or Diaw for DMC's potential... still doesn't address our need for a young big for the future... decent backup PG's are a dime a dozen.
IMO we should just hang on to Darko at least thru next summer and see if he can improve.

I would definetly say no to that deal. For one it would leave us without a backup point. Teams 41-8 now - only a fool would break up the reserve unit. Hunter has been having full practices for over a month now. He has been suting up the past 3 games and still has yet to see any time. You can knock Arroyo is you want but you can't knock the solid bench chemistry that has been developing. Trade Arroyo without another guard comming back and we are in the same position as last season that caused Dumars to trade EC for Arroyo in the 1st place.

I can see perhaps Darko for Kato and a future pick but not Darko, Arroyo for KAto and nothing.

Rumor is out of Florida - I wonder why? Orlando has been interested in Arroyo but this is not going to happen.

Kato is younger than I thought. Born Aug of 1974. That puts him as the oldest amoung Wallace, Wallace and Dyess but they all would be within 2 months of each other.

if joe wouldn't trade darko for al harrington a young stud. i just can't see him trading darko for cato. in my opinion cato isn't too much of an upgrade from what we already have in dale davis. he's not better than dice, sheed or ben so he wouldn't get any minutes anyway. any move the pistons make will be just a sideways or maybe a backward step. darko is going to beast slap the pistons in 2 years just like all the other young big men in the league are doing to them. our frontline is aging right in front of our eyes. it's not smart to trade the youngest, tallest, fastest big man you have.

the key to us getting better is already sitting on our bench. flip just needs to put them in the game. flips lack of bench development is creating a false sense of need. sure delfino bricked a few shots yesterday but he hadn't played in a couple of games. if you want consistency from the bench you have to give them consistent minutes.

last night flip didn't try to put darko, delfino, lindsey arroyo in until after the 2 minute mark. that was 5 minutes of development that flip missed out on. this is becoming a trend. the starters saw the lead dwindle i don't think the bench would have did worse. also tayshaun couldn't hit the side of a barn in the orlando game yet flip didn't reduce his minutes. if a starter isn't on let a bench player fill in. don't just let the starter shoot you out of the game.

Please Joe, trade Arroyo and Darko to Orlando. Take Cato's expiring contract and trade it for a backup PG and a serviciable center. He can make it happen. Isn't he a wizard when it comes down to trades? Darko and Carlos need development and, contrary to Detroit they'll sure have it in Orlando. On the other side, Orlando will see an increase of attendance due to "ricans going to see Carlos. Sounds like a good deal for Orlando. Will Joe pull the trigger? I don't think so either. He's smarter than that.</B></B></B>

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Imagine what Harrington would feel about today being traded for milicic?