Darko to Boston official [pg 3] Turned down Real Madrid offer

[Neurotic Guy]

Had he not been picked #2 and ahead of Carmelo, Dwayne and Bosh, Milicic would be thought of as an average back-up center.  He'd certainly be thought of as favorably than Jason Collins.   Stats-wise, he is basically Kendrick Perkins with a slightly higher scoring rate and a slightly lower rebounding rate.  Better shot-blocker.  Amazingly, he is actually younger than Perk.

His career averages are 6 and 4 with 1.3 blocks in 18 MPG.  I don't think you'll find a large number of role-playing back-up 5's with better stats.  Others might know more about his personality and presence on the floor as I have seen him play only a handful of times through the years, but in a 10 MPG situation with a veteran team that will push him, I think we can spin this as a positive move.  Spin is spin though and we can certainly look at this both ways.

[kozlodoev]

What alternatives are there with just the bi-annual exception?

How about staying pat?

[Boris Badenov]

His numbers are fine.

What bothers me is he is the only player I've seen who actually looked depressed to be out on an NBA court.

[hardlyyardley]

Don't see the need, although I would prefer him over Collins....he is an upgrade over Steamer too

[RyNye]

Don't see the need, although I would prefer him over Collins....he is an upgrade over Steamer too

Darko is on par with Collins. Steamer was a FAR better player than Darko ever has been in his career.

Seriously, why are people saying that Darko's numbers are fine? His numbers are TERRIBLE.

His career TS% is 48.1 ... the average for a big man is 54%. In fact, his career averages in EVERY SINGLE STATISTICAL CATEGORY are below the average for a center, except blocks. That is not the calling card of a good player, or even a good backup player. Or even a good 3rd string player.

Steamer, on the other hand, was an efficient scorer (his TS% is 57, which is above average). His PPS is 1.33, which is above average (average is 1.24 ... Darko's career is around 1.07). Steamer didn't turn the ball over, and racked up steals and blocks at a prolific rate. Considering how few minutes he got, he actually did well on rebounds and assists, as well (he got around half the minutes of an average center, but almost as many boards and dimes per 48 minutes as an average center). Steamer is the perfect backup ... he is efficient and plays to his role.

Darko has never had an above average season in his career, and his numbers are abysmal.

[jgod213]

I think Darko is too damaged mentally at this point to fulfill his potential. He is what he is. I don't think anyone should be hoping for more than he has done in Minnesota or Memphis.

Darko is also 20+ lbs overweight and unable to play at his peak level. Unless he drops the extra weight, he won't even be able to get back to the level he was once able to play at back in his Orlando days where more activity as a team defender + rebounder than in Minnesota where he has declined year after year due to his poor conditioning.

It's a foregone conculsion that Darko will never come close to reaching his potential, but I'm with Rondo here, I don't see a big downside.

Darko is a very limited player, but he's a legitimate shot blocker who can rebound in restricted minutes. Just because he was a first round bust doesn't mean he can't be useful when used deliberately in certain situations.

If he pulls a Darko tantrum at any point you have Mello and Collins to phase him out.

[Rondo2287]

I think Darko is too damaged mentally at this point to fulfill his potential. He is what he is. I don't think anyone should be hoping for more than he has done in Minnesota or Memphis.

Darko is also 20+ lbs overweight and unable to play at his peak level. Unless he drops the extra weight, he won't even be able to get back to the level he was once able to play at back in his Orlando days where more activity as a team defender + rebounder than in Minnesota where he has declined year after year due to his poor conditioning.

It's a foregone conculsion that Darko will never come close to reaching his potential, but I'm with Rondo here, I don't see a big downside.

Darko is a very limited player, but he's a legitimate shot blocker who can rebound in restricted minutes. Just because he was a first round bust doesn't mean he can't be useful when used deliberately in certain situations.

If he pulls a Darko tantrum at any point you have Mello and Collins to phase him out.

TP for agreeing with me.... Let that be a lesson to the rest of y'all

[CelticG1]

I just can't take that argument seriously at all. With KG, Pierce, Terry, Rondo,  Doc and Danny he would either have to shut up and play or get cut.

Here's the thing, those of us who say he'd be a lockeroom cancer are pretty sure he'd just end up getting cut or whining from the bench in the end. Which doesn't do the team any good and wastes a roster spot and capp room(which with the "apron" isn't recoverable for the C's)

How often are guys just cut like that for being a cancer? Id say its pretty rare and id say on a team like the Celtics there would be an even smaller chance of that happening. Do you think he is likely to get cut from the Nets?

I mean he could be one of those 1 in a million bizzaro guys that quits on everything, goes bankrupt, becomes an alcoholic, never plays again im just don't see how people are basically anointing him as someone who is pretty much done in the NBA already.

[Chris]

I just can't take that argument seriously at all. With KG, Pierce, Terry, Rondo,  Doc and Danny he would either have to shut up and play or get cut.

Here's the thing, those of us who say he'd be a lockeroom cancer are pretty sure he'd just end up getting cut or whining from the bench in the end. Which doesn't do the team any good and wastes a roster spot and capp room(which with the "apron" isn't recoverable for the C's)

How often are guys just cut like that for being a cancer? Id say its pretty rare and id say on a team like the Celtics there would be an even smaller chance of that happening. Do you think he is likely to get cut from the Nets?

I mean he could be one of those 1 in a million bizzaro guys that quits on everything, goes bankrupt, becomes an alcoholic, never plays again im just don't see how people are basically anointing him as someone who is pretty much done in the NBA already.

The cancer thing doesn't bother me.  I just am not all that convinced he can be a team player.  I am more confident a guy like Darko could fit in with what the C's need, and buy into the system, than Blatche.

[CelticG1]

Would have preferred blatche but ill take Darko.

People talking about Blatche and possibly having locker room issues here is kind of a joke. I just can't take that argument seriously at all. With KG, Pierce, Terry, Rondo,  Doc and Danny he would either have to shut up and play or get cut.

Pretty sure a guy like Blatche isn't going to destroy our lockerroom.

I disagree, look what Adalius Thomas did to the 2009 Patriots.  Thats a league with unguaranteed contracts and possibly one of the strongest lockerrooms in all of sports.  He still submarined some of the efforts of Brady and Belichick

I don't know why you are bringing up the patriots from 3 years ago. Its pretty obvious that was a different situation and Thomas was one of the highest paid players and profiles in the league, not to mention a veteran. I don't see how its comparable.

Also aren't the pats kind ofa known for taking locker room issue guys, troubled guys, low risk high reward type guys and morphing them into the opposite? Its funny that you brought up the patriots who do exactly that and what I think the Celtics are capable of as well.

People are acting like Blatche is some powerful force that's going to hold the Celtics hostage like Dwight Howard did

[Eja117]

I went to look at the numbers and here's the thing....his numbers are actually pretty horrid. But so are Ryan Hollins'.  And so are Jason Collins'. They're all in Calvin Booth territory. I'm almost at the point of just signing a guy you never heard of from Moldova with a name with 7 consonants in a row. Or K Mart. I think K Mart could actually help, but he seems to want more money

But I do think they can probably help more than Fab for a year or two.  To me it's a matter of depth. I think you have to ask in an emergency scenario who do you want getting 20 or 25 mins a night....possibly in the playoffs.  I think that's Darko over Fab.

I'd feel a lot more confident if Clifford Ray were still here.

But at the end of the day Steamer is an all-star next to these guys and that scares me.

[mainevent]

Would I take him over Jason Collins? In a nano second. COLLINS is the REAL Bum of a pick up this off-season. Darko would be a steal compared to Collins. I was really hoping Fab would develop rather quickly being that Collins was the only other option, but I'd be Ok with Wilcox and Darko backing up the 5.

[Eja117]

The great thing about this is we would finally get an answer to the question that has been haunting us forever....who is the better NBA big man?  Darko, Jason Collins, or a late first round rookie who should be in his junior year of college?

I hope we don't get another one of those scenarios like last year where the young player is clearly better and Doc just won't play him.

[Texstyles]

A. Sherrod Blakely‏@SherrodbCSN

#CelticsTalk: Darko Milicic will be joining the #Celtics, league source tells #CSNNE.com. Story coming up shortly.

[bdm860]

Take that Miami!

So you guys have the players taken #1, #4, and #5 in one of the greatest drafts ever.  We now got #2!