It's official via ESPN unless something falls through:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2924228
I don't really see the incentive for Orlando at this point to work out a S&T with Seattle, unless Seattle could offer them picks or something, which wouldn't really make sense for them. Then you have to look at Memphis as the most likely destination. They could put Darko alongside Pau.
But if Memphis isn't interested.... the field is wide open and Darko has his choice at the MLE.
The incentive for Orlando to do a sign and trade that would help keep darko. But seriously its not like a Lewis and Howard duo is champonship combo keeping darko, who is improving, would be huge to the magic cause.
Darko looks like he is gone we really should make a run at him.
It's official via ESPN unless something falls through:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2924228
I don't really see the incentive for Orlando at this point to work out a S&T with Seattle, unless Seattle could offer them picks or something, which wouldn't really make sense for them. Then you have to look at Memphis as the most likely destination. They could put Darko alongside Pau.
But if Memphis isn't interested.... the field is wide open and Darko has his choice at the MLE.
OK, so Darko is looking to free agency, which means two things:
- Getting some money from Atlanta or Milwaukee.
- Getting MLE.
If he has any sense, he will steer clear of Hawks and Bucks, in fact nothing to see for him in EC.
If he wants the best basketball situation for him - it's in Texas, Houston, Dallas or even SA.
Still, I think that only we can offer him pretty much guaranteed starting spot, minutes and a chance to build NBA career of some substance. Rockets could to, but let's face it RA is not known for suffering fools gladly (see Wallace, Gerald) no matter what their upside.
god that would suck if he ended up in SA
It would suck for him. Pop would be on his @@@ 24/7. I also think that Pop would steer clear of Darko because the potential for Darko-Pop dynamics being like Darko-Larry Brown is high.
But, if that something intangible clicks in Darko's head one of these days, he would be perfect for SA.
if GP has any magic left in his arsenal, here is his chance.... get darko signed for 5 years/35mil or a one year with an option for the mle now... darko will have a great chance to play with the kings immediatley...
get er done GP!!!!
If we have any shot at Milicic, I would suspect it would be a relatively short term deal so he can get another shot at free agency.
Power forward Darko Milicic never will play for the Orlando Magic this season or any other "as long as Otis Smith is general manager," an irate Marc Cornstein, told the Sentinel.
Late Tuesday, shortly after the Magic withdrew their qualifying offer to Milicic -- whom Smith had said was a priority before the free-agent courting period began -- Cornstein blasted Smith for being a "liar." He called Smith's handling of his client "deceitful, disrespectful and a disgrace."
Cornstein said Smith had indicated that the Magic wanted to re-sign Milicic, but then sent an e-mail to him Tuesday telling him they had withdrawn their qualifying offer and made him an unresticted free agent.
Said Smith, "Our goals remain the same. To sign a free agent and try to retain Darko."
Cornstein said there's no chance.
"There's no chance. Put it in big capital letters," Cornstein said. "You can say that as long as Otis Smith is the general manager of the Orlando Magic, there's no chance."
Cornstein said that when the Magic did not contact him when the free-agency courting period began, "He didn't want to be here in the end. If Otis Smith had been a decent human and told us that Rashard Lewis was the player they wanted and would have to sacrifice Darko to get him, my reaction wouldn't have been happiness. But I would have said, 'I appreciate you telling me.'
"Instead, the guy told us Darko was a priority, and he lied."
I don't think we have a shot.
I think we might, it seems like the one thing Darko may want more than anything else is guaranteed playing time and a starting spot. If we could promise him a starting PF spot and clear a little bit of cap space to be able to sign him to an extension in a year or 2 I think we are right in the mix. All it would take is 1 deal to make that space.
Oh the gall.
Smith's behavior in all this does sound a little shaky, and I would be tweaked myself. But for an AGENT, essentially the slimiest most disgusting form of homo sapiens yet uncovered, to complain so vehemently because somebody allegedly mislead him is just hilarious. Its like a car thief running ot the police when somebody jacks the ride he himself just jacked yesterday.
Excuse me, but agents are only the 3rd slimiest carbon based life form in the universe - after realtors and lawyers.![]()
Bibby is NOT off the books next year since he has another 2 years on his deal. Even if he is, we still wouldn't be too far under the cap to re-sign Darko, especially since Martin's extension would kick in next summer as well.
I might be wrong here but I am sure there are restrictions in place for teams under the cap. IIRC Magic had to resign their FAs before they knew how much money they had to spend. I think the rules prhibit them from spending all their cap room on another teams FA and them re-signing their FAs.
Magic can only offer Darko what is left of their salary cap room and thats is less than the MLE that other teams can offer. The only way Magic can sign Darko is if they do a sign and trade for Lewis but apart from Darko, I don't think there is anyone else that would be of any great interest to the Sonics. They might take some expiring contracts off Orlando only if the pick is thrown in.
Bibby is NOT off the books next year since he has another 2 years on his deal. Even if he is, we still wouldn't be too far under the cap to re-sign Darko, especially since Martin's extension would kick in next summer as well.
I might be wrong here but I am sure there are restrictions in place for teams under the cap. IIRC Magic had to resign their FAs before they knew how much money they had to spend. I think the rules prhibit them from spending all their cap room on another teams FA and them re-signing their FAs.