Last year the word was Darko needs to grow a little and get used to the NBA slowly. He seemed part of the team, like in warm ups Chauncey would play 1 on 1 games with him.
This season, I thought they would play him in real situations for a few minutes a game- I thought they HAD to. The guy was a number 2 pick.
They aren't playing him at all unless we're up 20. No one is with him at warm-ups, and then this on that ESPN list from the other day-
- 10. Ultimate Darko, Season Two
Two Sundays ago, the Pistons were leading the Celtics by 24 with seven minutes left, so they put Darko in the game -- he officially has an "Igby Goes Down" look to him, like a prep school kid who just got kicked out of his fifth boarding school. You can almost picture him wearing a bad blazer and sneaking a smoke behind the cafeteria. Anyway, the Celtics immediately went on a run and cut the lead down to 10 ... so Brown had to take Darko out and put one of the Wallaces back in. Poor Darko can't even stay on the court in garbage time. This is going to end badly.
I was there. We left about a minute after Darko went in. I didn't know they had to pull him. When you put someone in for garbage time you can't pull him- unless you really have no faith what so ever in his ability. I coach 11-13 year old boys. I've put kids in for garbage time and have had the score start turning. I didn't pull them, because I knew if I did it would be a clear statement about their ability.
He's done. This has got to be about the worst pick ever. Sam Bowie at least played some.
