History has proven that it takes a lot longer to develop big men than it will take to develop a smaller guy. With that said, I do believe that Dumars made a mistake by drafting Milicic over Carmelo. However, it is not the first time that the NBA has suffered from such stupidity. If Jordan was passed for a player whom didn't even play for more than 5 years in this league, it is not Melo that shouldn't have to endure that type of situations. I am pretty sure that Denver is very happy with Melo. I do believe that Melo will be the next JOrdan instead of James.

Posted by tkf:

Nalod: good post, but having Carmello would not change the fact that Prince would still be on that team. And if the pistons make the finals it won't change the fact that Dumars made a blunder, simply because Darko had nothing to do with their success this year. The blunder will come if they don't get past the pacers because I honestly think they still need a go to scorer on that team, and the blunder will continue to show in the future because instead of having a potential star player to build around, I mean a championship team around will hurt the pistons in the near future. You play to win championships and you draft to win championships. I am confident that the Pistons will not beat the lakers this year, if they make it that far, now would having carmello put them over the top? probally not, but it puts them a hell of a lot closer, and having a melo would make the pistons a hell of a lot stronger not only now but in the near future. This is the problem I have with that. If melo is on the pistons. Prince still probably makes that block. Lets just see if they survive this series, because if Indiana just makes their shots, they can easliy outscore the pistons every game... The pistons needed a guy like melo, the pacers have go to scorers, as do the lakers, spurs, and kings.... That IMO will be the pistons achillies heel..

Also good point,

I really did not think detroit was building for this year. With no Sheed they really did not have much to deal with Nets and Indy. Larry is great, but sheed made them better. So the possibilty is they are further along then they thought. Had they know they get sheed, then monday moring dictates good logic Carmello helps the team off the bench with some offense. But if they took carmelo to eventually replace Tayshawn, then his value plummets and creates a problem.

Im wondering if (no sheed) they could continue to develope, but with no sheed they reup Okur, groom Darko, and then trade Ben wallace for a lotto pick to really complete a rebuild.

But sheed made them legit, and it was a gift.

Posted by tkf:

My thinking was that with Okur and Wallace on the front line, did you really need millicic? I think Detroit really needed that go to guy, a guy who can come out every night and get you 20 regardless, which I think is the type player melo will be for sure....

I think that in the beginning of the season Detroit was over the cap, or at least in a positin where all they could do was resign Okur to the MLE, same position as they are in now. Noting that, Okur will probably leave the Pistons for more playing time and a contract over $5M per year. Without Weed that would have left a HUGE whole in the middle for the team, enter Darko over Melo.

Also, and I don't know how much of an influence this had on the decision making, both Dumars and Larry Brown are defensive and team oriented people. I don't know if Darko fills that style but we can say that Melo is more of a spolight type of player (not that there is anything wrong with that) whose main focus is O, lot o O.

I thought larry brown came after draft, so he had no influence.

Good points, getting sheed was about keeping Okur. I contend the pistons were not finals bound. This is a huge financial gain for them if they can finish Indiana off.

The real big if remains Darko's developement. Big men do develope slower and he is 2 years younger than melo.

IF darko becomes a monster, then Joe looks good. Is a few years away.

Anyway, if they make the finals, I think they are a pretty good team. Maybe Melo cracks under pressure in playoffs and they don't go anywhere. Melo broke down at seasons end. All small issues. This was fun!

Vescey reminds us again how Joe took Michael to school on the Rip for Stackhouse trade.

Teams make blunders all the time, but the ones whome make the least come out on top.

Pistons on verge of finals. Where is the blunder??

Larry Brown is NYC guy (as much as lenny was 100 years ago) and I hope they do well.

Lean Basketball: Just in time Rasheed Wallace = Finals....WOW!

here is a interesting article from ESPN regarding this argument, and pretty much agrees with what I said before...

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- The Detroit Pistons made it to the NBA Finals without drafting Carmelo Anthony. So the whole "What if 'Melo?" saga is a dead issue with the Pistons, right?



The Pistons sure could use a scorer like Carmelo Anthony.
Well ...


"No. There wouldn't be nothing else to talk about if they do [forget about it]," Pistons general manager Joe Dumars said. "They wouldn't have nothing else to talk about, so they have to keep talking about it."


The whole 'Melo argument has been going rampant for nearly a year now and will continue as the Pistons continue to have trouble firing offensively.


It was just over a year ago that 'Melo became 'Melo as he led Syracuse to its first national championship. He was the greatest thing since, well, high school phenom LeBron James. And after the Cleveland Cavaliers drafted James first overall, the Pistons could have brought 'Melo's headband and scoring prowess to the Motor City.


Dumars and the Pistons' brass, however, had different plans. There was this little-known big kid named Darko Milicic from Serbia and Montenegro. Like Anthony, he was just 18. But, Milicic stood 7-foot tall, had a wingspan wider than Yao Ming's and an inside and outside game that left Dumars drooling after a workout at John Jay College in New York City prior to last year's draft lottery.


As soon as the Pistons won the second Ping-Pong ball, a pick that came from a Vancouver Grizzlies trade years ago, word soon ran wild that Detroit's selection would be Darko and not 'Melo. While there was initially a workout setup between the Pistons and Anthony, Anthony's agent, Calvin Andrews, opted not to go through with it after he felt the Pistons' mind was made up to take Darko. So with Milicic gone to Detroit with the second pick, the Denver Nuggets gladly snatched Anthony.


Now nearly a year later, Anthony is one of the NBA's budding young stars and the biggest thing since the arrival of John Elway and snow to the Rocky Mountains. He led the Nuggets to their first playoff berth since 1995, had the second hottest selling jersey in the NBA, averaged a rookie-best 21 points per game and took part in commercials with the likes of Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal.


Darko? He was the typical rookie and had a courtside seat to enjoy one of the greatest seasons in Pistons history as a deep reserve behind the likes of All-Star Ben Wallace, the multi-talented Rasheed Wallace, rising star Mehmet Okur and long-time veteran Elden Campbell.


"If I had a chance [to play] earlier this season, maybe I could do something," said Milicic, who played 159 minutes during 34 regular-season games. "But for now, I really can't say. I didn't play no games. Zero. But if I had a chance this season, maybe I would know."


While much of the blame for passing on Anthony is placed on Milicic, another big reason why the Pistons went for Darko was forward Tayshaun Prince.


Although he played sparingly as a rookie during the regular season, Prince showed so much promise in the 2003 playoffs that the Pistons didn't believe another small forward was necessary. Prince also had a solid second year, averaging 10.3 points, and he made one of the greatest clutch defensive plays in NBA playoff history when he blocked a potentially game and series altering layup by Indiana's Reggie Miller late in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals.


But with 'Melo's scoring ability, maybe the Pistons wouldn't have been a team fighting to score 70 points each game against the Pacers. The Nuggets' explosive scorer once dropped 41 on Seattle and scored at least 20 in 16 of the last 19 regular-season games and in 32 of his last 38. And he did all of this before turning 20 years old, which he did just last week.

With Anthony, Prince could have been a NBA Sixth Man Award candidate and a key defender off the bench. With Anthony, it would have been easier for Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace to get good looks at the basket. With Anthony, the Pistons' defense may not have been as strong but his offense would have made up for it. With Anthony, the Pistons would have had their most exciting player and explosive scorer since a healthy Grant Hill. And with Anthony, the Los Angeles Lakers would have to make the tough decision on whether to use star Kobe Bryant to guard either Hamilton or Anthony in the Finals.
And with all that talk about 'Melo in mind, Prince understands why the "What if?" talk won't end.


“ They feel that Carmelo could have come in here and pretty much played right away. It's something I look at as you go out there and not really pay any attention to. I just got to go out there and play how I can play. ”
— Tayshaun Prince
"They haven't forgot about it," Prince said. "Especially, a situation where Darko is not playing. They feel that Carmelo could have come in here and pretty much played right away. It's something I look at as you go out there and not really pay any attention to. I just got to go out there and play how I can play.


"I've heard questions about that all season long. Definitely, he's a great player. ... My approach is to go out and play and not worry about what everyone else thinks."


The Nuggets know what they got in Anthony and feel blessed that his arrival changed the face of the franchise. What kind of influence Milicic has on the future of the Pistons probably won't be known for at least two more seasons. Until then, Pistons fans will keep wondering what might've been in these NBA Finals.


Sorry Darko, that's just the American way.


"I don't worry about things I have no control over," Pistons coach Larry Brown said. "We made a decision to draft the young big kid. It was for the future. I'm confident it is going to be a great pick.


"I'm not going to worry about what I don't have. I'd like to have Shaq."

That's a great ESPN article.

And with Anthony, the Los Angeles Lakers would have to make the tough decision on whether to use star Kobe Bryant to guard either Hamilton or Anthony in the Finals

That's a tough decision that I'm sure the Lakers are glad they don't have to make! And I'm glad the Knicks won't have to make it next year either!

I am more impressed with Tayshawns intangable abilities to get big rebounds and block shots. Little things mean alot.

He does things Carmelo will never do. stat wise, fantasy wise, carmelo will always put up nice numbers. but Defense does win.

I said a few weeks back how important luke waltons game will be for the lakers. 8 assists! WoW!

Kobe is Michael.

I wonder one thing, do you think that when darko will be average 20/10 this debate will still be running ?

Win two more games and Darko will own more rings than Carmelo.