With the NBA starting to heat up, and the Pistons making a run for best record in the East, I want to make everyone acknowledge that what I’m about to state is fact. True. Without reasoing. (Comments welcome to tell me I’m wrong. Please. Just let me see you’re reading.)
EVERY SINGLE TEAM would have drafted Darko at number 2. (Except maybe the Spurs, because of Duncan.) The ONLY person going ahead of him was Lebron. End of story. So everyone can shut the fuck up about it.
Did dumars fuck up? You better believe it. But this isn’t the NFL. You don’t draft the best player available. You draft what you need. Portland took Bowie over Jordan because they had Clyde the Glide. Over time, were they wrong? Of course. But you dont throw away an awesome talent, (Top 50 player of all time) because there is an equally awesome one in college a year later. They would have had two players in the same position, wasted them, etc. Once again, every team that didn’t have a big man in that draft would have taken Bowie. Pat Riley has even said he wanted Bosh over Wade in 2003.
Lets look at what would have happened regarding 2003. Personally, I wanted Melo. Bad. Was the best pure shooter and scorer in college that year. Tayshaun Prince is a sixth man. Could be the best one in the league-we’ll never know, because he starts every game. And, look at that! He plays great in only about one in three! Like someone who should come off the bench! Wow! Unbelieveable! Detroit should have not dismissed Carmelo because they thought Prince was their man at SF. However, as Aaron the basketball extraordinaire said, Larry Brown would have demolished the confidence of Melo, Wade, or Bosh, as he did with Darko. There was no way any of them were seeing significant time off the bench in front of Billups and Hamilton. Larry Brown fucking despises anyone who hasn’t played for 5 years, hasn’t played for him before, or didn’t go to North Carolina. Thanks grandpa. Can’t wait until another media person defends all the bullshit you do.
Dumars picked Okur in the second round. Okur has turned into Nowitzki very lite over in Utah. Great complimentary player, who can make the end of game shots. They had to let him walk to keep Rasheed. The Pistons also drafted Bonzi Wells in 1999. (I dont remember if Dumars was GM then.) Charlotte fucking traded Vlade Divac and some pick I don’t remember for Kobe fucking Bryant. Are you kidding me? Point is, I’m just sick and fucking tired of reading people like Bill Simmons rant on Dumars. He’s one of the better GMs in the league, outside of the draft. I know that’s a big part, but I’d rather a GM be better at creating chemistry, role players, and a good bench. (Something else Dumars has lacked in.) Simmons’ douchebag Celtics would have taken Darko at 2 as well. With the CBA and the rookie contracts, every team is renting their top five picks, just hoping they don’t bolt after 3 years. All you Cleveland fans, (none right now reading; I think I only have two readers right now, and one is me during editing) you really think Lebron signing his extension means he’s not leaving? Get fucking real. Bosh, same thing. Even though it seems like Toronto could be starting something good. Too bad everyone hates living and playing in Canada, where the taxes are higher.
One last thing. About how people bitching about the east being easy. Yup, you’re right. Too fucking bad. It’s boring as hell to have the old school basball rules of two conferences, and everyone equal. It creates excitement that a shitty Knicks team can actually think of going on a great 10 game tear (impossible) and being in first place, still with a losing record. And come on, who doesnt want to see a division winner under .500 in the playoffs?
