Darko Milicic Is Still a Bigger Bust than Greg Oden: How Is He Still Starting?
Greg Oden will miss yet another NBA season. We just recently found out that he will undergo his second microfracture surgery and it will cost him even more time. Since Portland selected him with the first overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft, he's played in just 82 games. One combined NBA season.
He's averaged 9.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game over those 82 contests.
That said, he's still not as big a bust as Darko Milicic.
Players Selected After Darko
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One of the things you have to consider when addressing whether or not a player is a bust, is who was selected after him. The Pistons took Darko with the second overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, here are some of the other players Detroit could have taken:
- Carmelo Anthony
- Chris Bosh
- Dwyane Wade
- Chris Kaman
- David West
- Josh Howard
There were several players drafted behind Greg Oden that would've have done more for the Blazers, but the Pistons selection of Darko is more of a gaffe considering who was still available.
The best player the Blazers passed on was Kevin Durant and the best player the Pistons passed on was Dwyane Wade. The next two slides will examine how those teams would have looked if they had gone for Durant and Wade as opposed to Oden and Milicic...
Portland Trailblazers with Kevin Durant
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The Los Angeles Lakers would most definitely have legitimate competition in the western conference if Portland had selected Kevin Durant rather than Greg Oden.
Imagine a starting lineup of Andre Miller, Brandon Roy, Kevin Durant, LaMarcus Aldridge and Marcus Camby. They would be unbelievably difficult to guard. Plus, the core of Roy, Durant and Aldridge would be young and could dominate for years.
Detroit Pistons with Dwyane Wade
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The Pistons would not be in the mess they're in right now if they had selected Dwyane Wade instead of Darko Milicic.
With the strong starting lineup of Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace and Ben Wallace, Wade may not have started. However, he would've been fantastic off the bench for a couple years and as guys like Billups and Hamilton began to age the team would still have a great up and coming player to build around.
The Pistons not only would've still probably won the title in 2004, they would have been much better equipped to win one or two more in the future.
Future of Oden and Milicic
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Greg Oden's future is completely up in the air at this point. It doesn't look great, but there is still a chance that he can pull off the miracle of salvaging his career. He actually did produce at a decent level for a second year player last season. His issue is obviously injuries. For Oden, there is still a faint glimmer of hope.
As for Darko, his fate is sealed. He's demonstrated for nearly a decade that he cannot produce at even a decent level in the NBA. He's averaging a career high in minutes per game this year and his numbers are still in decline.
Minnesota Actually Has a Bit of a Future: Why Are They Still Starting Darko?
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Kevin Love and Michael Beasley have rapidly emerged as one of the best forward tandems in the NBA. Beasley is averaging 22.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Love is averaging 18.9 points and 14.3 rebounds per game. After those two, nobody's doing much for the Timberwolves.
However, two players that could make an impact for this team are currently not playing due to injury. Last season, Jonny Flynn averaged 13.5 points and 4.4 assists per game as a rookie.
Martell Webster is a career 37 percent shooter from three-point range and has averaged 8.5 points per game. Plus, he played well and averaged double-figures this preseason for Minnesota and he's just 23 years old.
If those two were healthy, Minnesota's starting lineup would likely be Flynn, Webster, Beasley, Love and... Milicic?
That last name really doesn't fit, does it? Why on Earth is Kurt Rambis starting, or even playing Milicic? Why in the world did David Kahn sign Milicic to that ludicrous extension? Does anyone know the answer to any of these questions?
If Minnesota had even a decent center to go along with those other four, they could be competing for a playoff spot within a year or two.
Could Oden and Milicic Be Teammates Next Season?
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Oden is in the final year of his contract with Portland. Considering how things have gone for him to this point, there's almost no way the Blazers will re-sign him.
That leads to the question: Who might take the chance of signing Greg Oden? Will anyone?
I don't see many contenders willing to roll the dice on a seven-footer in his early twenties who's fresh off his second microfracture surgery.
One team that might take the risk: Milicic's Timberwolves. It would be a huge gamble for Minnesota, but signing Oden even after all these injury issues would still make more sense than the deal they gave Darko.
Plus, due to Oden's history, Minnesota might be able to get him at a bargain basement price.
If the gamble paid off, Minnesota could have one of the best, young frontcourts in the NBA.
Your Thoughts?
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Who do you think is the bigger bust? Greg Oden or Darko Milicic? Who has the brighter future? Do either of them even have a future?
Let me know what you think in the comments section.
