Agent confirms Lewis to Magic

[iceturkee]

unless rashard lewis pulls a billy donovan, his agent told espn that lewis will sign a mx contract with the orlando magic next wednesday, the first day teams can sign free agents.

this more than likely means the magic will have to renounce rights to darko milicic in order to provide the max funding. several teams have expressed an interest in milicic. hopefully, this will turn out to be a major coup for the magic who have been looking for a playmaker and scorer!

 

[Paul Wozniak]

Darko....Detoit's mistake became Orlando's mistake, and will become someone else's mistake....etc.

 

[iceturkee]

i think darko showed he can play when he's motivated. the problem is getting him motivated. i read this morning that the bulls have already gone on record saying the wouldn't/couldn't/shouldn't offer him a contract, starting at 10 mil a year!

what happens, he'll end up either getting the veteran exemption or veteran minimum. maybe, somebody will overpay him. however, there are only three teams left under the salary cap.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

There can't be anyone stupid enough to pay Darko 10M, could there? This kid is just another first round bust with a serious deluded idea of self worth.

 

[iceturkee]

i'm sure some team will overpay him, hoping he still lives up to his potential.

in other magic news, grant hill has agreed to a 2-year contract with phoenix. he'll be paid the veterans minimum salary. that ends another sad saga in the history of the orlando magic.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

I suppose he may still become a player. Jermaine O'Neal was considered a wasted pick until he got away from the Jailblazers. So I guess it still is possible. Of course any contract Darko signs will automatically make him OVERPAID. This kid had no work ethic at all in Detroit, and played like a "deer in the headlights" when he did get off the bench.

 

[iceturkee]

lets be fair to darko here. the only playing time he basically got in detroit was garbage minutes. when he was given considerable more playing time in orlando, he played much better showing glimpses of why he was the overall number 2 pick. the knock on him, at least mine, is that he played inconsistently. and given how tepid brian hill's offensive game plan was.....that is, if he even had one.....you gotta give darko the benefit of the doubt.

is he worth more than the mid-level salary exception....no!

i don't like every decision magic gm otis smith has made. but in his position, if i had to choose between signing rashard lewis or giving darko a big contract, i'd sign lewis. if i could still sign darko for the mid-level exception, i'd do it in a heart beat!

 

[Paul Wozniak]

lets be fair to darko here. the only playing time he basically got in detroit was garbage minutes. when he was given considerable more playing time in orlando, he played much better showing glimpses of why he was the overall number 2 pick. the knock on him, at least mine, is that he played inconsistently. and given how tepid brian hill's offensive game plan was.....that is, if he even had one.....you gotta give darko the benefit of the doubt.

is he worth more than the mid-level salary exception....no!

i don't like every decision magic gm otis smith has made. but in his position, if i had to choose between signing rashard lewis or giving darko a big contract, i'd sign lewis. if i could still sign darko for the mid-level exception, i'd do it in a heart beat!

Darko was given every oppurtunity possible to play his way into the rotation in Detroit. We didn't draft him for the bench. The Piston's mentality is that Detroit is a blue collar town, and the team would reflect that mentality. This kid came here with a sense of entitlement, and didn't want to work hard. He was given a chance, but he dropped the ball, figuratively.