Official Darko Watch

[Fool]

What ever happened to TK?

Washedrivenoffbythenewformat'slackoftrulysmalltext ?

[WTFchris]

Then red shall be the color of reverse sarcasm. Reverse sarcasm* is when you drop a totally honest and heartfelt moment into a page full of standard operating cynical irony.



* a term I just invented

I think red is the standard color for edits though. Maybe blue should be reverse sarcasm.

[Glenn]

I am sooo glad that this is Orlando's problem now instead of ours.

Ryan (Lehi, UT): Why is it risky to say goodbye to darko? They gave him a perfect opportunity to get away from the Detroit situation adn show his skills. But even when he was in a contract year, he sat on his thumbs. If $30 million doesn't motivate him, nothing will.

John Hollinger: (2:08 PM ET ) I don't know if you looked at Orlando's roster lately, but they're not exactly awash in big men at the moment and they don't have a first-rounder to replenish their stocks. So that alone makes letting Darko walk a risk. But you're right, paying him is a risk too -- does he strike you as the type who will go full bore every night once he's got $50 million in the bank? Me neither.

[Timone]

About time we got one of these suicide watch threads going.

[Glenn]

Darko could be renounced by Magic, lol

It basically would be like trading Darko for Lewis, and what GM wouldn't do that?

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbc.../70701012/1086

Lewis meets with Magic, Milicic waits

BY JOHN DENTON
FLORIDA TODAY ADVERTISEMENT

ORLANDO — Rashard Lewis is in Orlando -- for a multi-day visit with the Magic’s brass, at least -- and center Darko Milicic could very well be on his way out of town.

Lewis, the 6-foot-10 small forward who averaged career bests in points (22.4), rebounds (6.6) and assists (2.4) last season, traveled from his hometown of Houston on Sunday to Orlando for a meeting with Magic general manager Otis Smith and assistant general manager Dave Twardzik.

The Magic let Lewis know how interested they were in him by contacting his camp just after midnight early Sunday, the first day negotiations are allowed between teams and free agents.

In somewhat of a shocking non-move, the Magic did not contact Milicic’s representatives Sunday, possibly sending the message that they have no interest in resigning the 7-footer from Serbia and Montenegro. Milicic’s camp is demanding a contract worth about $10 million a season and Orlando has no desire to pay that amount, according to an NBA source close to the negotiations.

Milicic’s agent, Marc Cornstein, admitted that he was surprised at the Magic’s lack of outward interest and he confirmed that Lewis was visiting Orlando on Sunday. Because the Magic have just $10-13 million in salary cap space, it is highly unlikely that they would be able to sign Lewis away from the Seattle SuperSonics and also retain Milicic.

"I didn’t get a call from (the Magic) at 12:01, 12:02, 12:05 or 4:20 (Sunday) morning," Cornstein said. "I’ve talked to many, many teams around the league, but Orlando isn’t one of them. I’ve learned not to be shocked with anything that goes on, but hey, it is what it is right now.’’

Smith did not return phone messages Sunday, but told ESPN.com: "Is (Milicic) restricted or unrestricted? Look, Darko knows that we love him and want him here. What else is there to do.''

In the weeks since the Magic were swept out of the playoffs by the Detroit Pistons, Smith has said that his top priority is to re-sign Milicic, 22. And he and Cornstein spoke repeatedly during the past few weeks, and the feeling was that a contract offer could come as soon as Monday.

Grant Hill, Orlando’s other high-profile free agent, planned to stay home and field calls from teams looking to court him. San Antonio, Phoenix, Detroit, Miami and Orlando have shown interest in the seven-time all-star. One of his options, the Toronto Raptors, closed when they reached an agreement on a contract with Miami Heat sharpshooter Jason Kapono.

Unlike seven years ago when he signed a $92.88 million free-agent deal with the Magic, the size of his contract isn’t a concern to Hill. Set to turn 35 in October, he’ll likely sign a one-year contract worth the veteran’s minimum ($1.1 million). Playing for a contending team and playing significant minutes are his top two priorities. He got a promise of the latter prerequisite last week from new Magic coach Stan Van Gundy.

"The financial considerations are fairly low on his list of priorities," Hill’s agent, Lon Babby, told ESPN.com. "He wants the opportunity to play on a championship team, and if he has to make a financial sacrifice, he would do that."

Deals can’t be officially signed until July 11, but most contracts are finalized with handshake agreements early in the process.

Lewis met with new Seattle GM Sam Presti on Sunday morning in Houston and also entertained talks with representatives from the Rockets, the team he grew up a fan of while living in Houston.

Lewis is expected to command a salary of at least $15 million a season. He opted out of a deal that would have paid him $21 million over the next two seasons. Seattle has an advantage in that it can offer a six-year contract, whereas other teams can offer just five years. He could still get his six years and leave Seattle by negotiating a sign-and-trade deal.

"I will verify that (Lewis) is going to Orlando," Cornstein said. "All these negotiations are fluid and all of them impact each other, but we know that it’s going to be extremely unlikely that the Magic can sign Darko and Rashard Lewis unless there’s a sign-and-trade deal."

Vince Carter, a Daytona Beach native and an Orlando summer resident, is no longer a candidate for the Magic after he agreed to a four-year, $61.8 million deal with the New Jersey Nets on Sunday, according to the Newark Star-Ledger.

Lewis, 27, might want out of Seattle after the Sonics traded Ray Allen to Boston on draft night. Also, the Sonics drafted Kevin Durant and acquired Jeff Green and Wally Szczerbiak -- all small forwards, the same position as Lewis.

Milicic is a restricted free agent, meaning the Magic have the right to match any offer he receives. Cornstein said he received calls from "half the teams in the league," but only four of them -- Milwaukee, Minnesota, Atlanta and Orlando -- can offer him more than the mid-level exception ($5.5 million).

"I think on paper it makes a lot of sense for Darko to return to Orlando,'' Cornstein said. "We really thought it was a good fit for him there.

"But the most important thing is that we want him with a team that wants him. It’s taken him some time to establish himself in this league and we think it’s important that he goes to a team that believes in him and wants him to be a cornerstone piece.’"

Cornstein said he wouldn't rule out the Magic at this point, but he is beginning to wonder if they have any desire to retain the 7-foot shot-blocker.

"I’m really easy to reach, but they haven’t called," Cornstein said. "Until I have conversations with them, I won’t know what direction they are headed."

[micknugget]

HA-HA at Orlando and Darko. I'm sooooo glad that he's gone now. I think that his agent is a moron asking for that much.

[Fool]

Darko better stay in the league. I know he will.
This has got to be my longest thread start.

[Zekyl]

Darko Milicic to the Knicks

PROS: Theoretically, this guy can do it all. Rebound, block shots, hit mid-range jumpers, score in the low post and throw his body around in the paint.

CONS: Except for intermittent exceptions, Milicic has played like what he really wants to do is to take his ball and go home to Montenegro.

PROGNOSIS: During his six underwhelming seasons in the NBA, five coaches have unsuccessfully tried to light Milicic's fire: Larry Brown, Flip Saunders, Brian Hill, Marc Iavaroni and Lionel Hollins. Now it's Mike D'Antoni's turn to fail.

Keeping it alive for you, Fool.

[Uncle Mxy]

If anyone is gonna get play out of Darko the Euroballer, it'd be D'Antoni.

[Fool]

Good looks Z.