That may be Darko's problem: everything in bball terms came to easy for him during childhood and later and therefore was not mentally prepared to adjust everydays NBA harshness, although talance was there.
This is an oft recited statement as fact, that is statistically unfounded when you compare Melo & Tay's career defensive numbers.
You never blow a top 10 pick for a project in any sport, period. This was a chance to get a franchise player or at least a guy who would be a starter for a very long time. Why is Cleveland winning? They have LBJ. Spurs-Duncan. Lakers-Kobe. Where can Joe to get that type of guy in FA or trade? The only reason he would be a long way from producing is that the Pistons have done a horrible job of developing players. Watching the Stones get trampled on the Cavs makes me sick. This will continue for years until Joe actually has a competitive roster.
blah blah blah. Many of picks go "empty" anyway. Higher picks have lesser chance to fail BUT THERE IS NO GUARANTEES. Very few no1 are "guaranteed" - Shack, Lebron, Duncan, Ming, but picks as those emerge only once in every 3-5 years. Fans are not able to understand that GMing is mostly risk assessment and pure luck. There is no sure things in GMing.
It's worse when fans don't even understand risk-reward analysis. Go take a look at what Wade, Bosh, Carmelo did before they entered the draft. How did Darko's resume stack up against theirs?
You're right, but the "blah blah blah" is really dismissive, which undermines your point. It is possible to be right and gracious.
anakin i see where you're coming from, but look at the bulls. they've been drafting in the top 10 for YEARS and lucked out on getting the #1 overall selection, yet they barely beat us out for the #7 seed. it's not always a sure thing.
I agree. I am only making the point that when picking high you don't value players who are potential projects vs. those who have shown they have a track record of immediate contribution or impact. Minimize the gamble unless the evidence to indicate taking a risk is clearly in your favor. At worst you can trade the player as a valued bargaining chip. Chicago had/has better trade chips than Detroit i.e. Thomas, Deng, Gordon, Heinrich etc. Take a gamble for potential w/ the lower round picks.
It may be hindsight to consider Bosh, Wade and perhaps even LeBron as sure things back at the time of the draft. Bosh was 18-19 and weighed 185, Wade came out of nowhere in the tourney that year and for all the hype LeBron was a HS kid where as much bad as good could happen. These guys were all further along than Darko and I do think it was silly to take him then, but to say these guys were 100% locks is off. The foreign invasion was in full swing back then and snookered Joe badly.
I know it was mentioned somewhere that DET should pick up Heinrich and I am warming up to that. He can shoot and guard 1, 2's and some 3's effectively. Plus he and Rip can fight in practice.
Excellent post. I, too, wonder what if we did not trade chauncey and ended up the another ECF, without a championship. What would be said? We are down now, but not for long.
If I was a Free Agent and saw what Curry did with this team. I would laugh in JD's face. If he called.
. . . . . especially when he has Lambs waiting in the wings. I have to wonder if there was some bad blood between them when they finished playing. Why else would Bill be totally ignored. He has proven he can design plays for the players he has to work with, can enthuse his players to really give their best efforts, and when you can win with teams who cannot jam the ball, you must be good. Do you know any NBA teams that could win without stuffing the ball?
I've speculated about this a number of times...even started a thread from a slightly different angle back in 07 http://www.pistonsforum.com/detroit-pistons-general-discussion/6827-joe-scared-laimbeer.html
Somebody knows why Joe has ignored Bill......the question is will Joe get off his high horse and realize that he needs to share some of the glory with one his BB team mates. Zeke, knew nothing was coming his way and signed with Florida Int ? ..we all know that Laims would still want the job if offered. He bleeds Piston blue.. has there been any local soundbites from him on the Piston turrible season? Or is he just being silent and getting his ladies ready for a title defense.
When KG agreed to go to Boston they had finished with one of the worst records in the league. When Boozer and Okur went to Utah they were no where near a contender the year before. When G.Hill and McGrady went to Orlando they had missed the playoffs the year before. When Ben Wallace came here the Pistons had gotten swept in the 1st round and lost their franchise player. Whats the point? Be nice if we could get off this no FA's are ever coming here doomsday scenario because historically its just not true. Money and opportunity talk. One bad year is not going to ruin everything that happened before.
Still, point is they had finished low enough to have had the 5th pick in the draft. We don't know what is going to happen over the summer and which players we will have for someone to mull coming here over. Ray Allen had never been on a real contending team before.
