The Chronicles of Ian

They're beyond reach now. The Detroit Pistons are off to the fastest start in team history and hold the best record in the league at 28-5. Outside of temporary lapses in defense and rebounding, Detroit is performing flawlessly and they show no signs of slowing down. With this success, many games have developed into bench showcases. The habitually censured bench has evolved and at times impressed, however, one setback remains the topic of controversy. With the second overall pick in the 2003 draft, the Pistons selected Darko Milicic, the 18-year-old Serbian phenom. His career has been anything but phenomenal. The excuses are plentiful, but their legitimacy is laughable.

Before we delve into the world of ridiculous justifications, let's first summarize the situation and play the blame game. Two years of playing under Larry Brown, with the occasional almost-break-out game scattered amongst the multitudes of one and two minute appearances. The embarrassing moments were taken with the flashes of progress. No one expected production from the end of the bench. Fast forward to the summer of 2005, where Darko was expected to vacate the role of "the Human Victory Cigar" and make strides towards becoming the contributing power forward he was drafted to become. Nothing of the sort occurred. After a fairly impressive preseason, Milicic descended into his familiar style of unconfident and soft play. Quickly losing his position in the rotation, Darko played a particularly unenthusiastic nine minutes against the Chicago Bulls and landed himself in his all too recognizable position at the end of the bench. Milicic lost his right to minutes due to uninspiring and indolent play, and as Flip works Dale Davis into his role, the fans in Motown are bewildered by the same question. What's wrong with Darko?

Those who have already passed judgment on the situation are asking who's to blame in between their perpetual frustration. Darko has been called "Joe Dumars's only mistake." Nothing could be further from the truth. It is common knowledge that Joe Dumars is a mastermind and the outstanding trades and signings he has accomplished are evidence of that. If you were at all interested in the 2003 NBA Draft, you are already well versed in the hype. They said he's the next aggressive and creative scorer from Europe. One scout said, "He dunks in traffic, dribbles and goes one on one like a guard, scores on the pull-up jumper, passes well and blocks shots." They told of his skilled ball handling, his premier shooting, and his efficient post ability. Every scout called him the next Pau Gasol, the next Dirk Nowitzki, or even the next Tim Duncan. That includes Detroit's own scouts. There's no denying he had an extraordinary workout. While the Pistons were losing to New Jersey in the conference finals, Milicic was showing off for Pistons personnel. Lebron James's unavailability was a certainty, and due to Tayshaun Prince's breakout performance in that year's playoffs, Carmelo Anthony was not even brought in for a workout. Dumars look no further than Milicic, and rightfully so. Darko was the pick to make, and if anyone is to blame for the squandering of the second overall pick, it is Milicic.

Though the abundant pretexts for Darko's lack of development come in many shapes and sizes, they all essentially break down to fit one of three categories: he's still too young for anything to be expected, Larry Brown derailed his development, or his lack of playing time has disrupted his growth as a player and wrecked his confidence. Though each justification merited some degree of genuine consideration at some point, each has become so tired and implausible that they can now be dismissed.

Quite simply, the excuse that Darko is too young to be expected to produce off the bench or demonstrate consistent improvement is a joke. His age defense died on his twentieth birthday. There are multitudes of young men in his age group dependably performing at a level much higher than anything expected of Milicic. Bearing in mind that Darko has spent years practicing day after day against quality NBA big men in Rasheed Wallace, Ben Wallace, and Antonio McDyess, the truth that he should be better on both ends of court is evident. Age, if a factor at all, makes a case against the Human Victory Cigar.

While the case against Larry Brown is fairly weak, it is regularly made. It can be read and heard that Brown's reluctance to play Darko and other rookies and his lack of commitment to furthering Milicic's development is directly related to Darko's current situation. To refute this position, one must look no further than Carlos Delfino. In Brown's second and final season with the team, Delfino returned from surgery only to play scarcely in his rookie season. Several clashes between Delfino and Brown resulted in heated exchange of comments through the media. Brown repeatedly criticized Carlos's defense, and perhaps rightly so. Delfino's minutes were nearly nonexistent. Carlos consistently attacked back through the foreign press until it ultimately culminated with Delfino being left off the playoff roster. "They used me, they treated me like trash," he was quoted as saying. "They should transfer me or cut me. From this place, I have the worst memories of my career and I want to go back home." Under Flip Saunders, Delfino has played in all but four games and has shown flashes of exceptional ability. He will likely prove to be a valuable asset off the bench for years to come. Carlos appears invigorated and far more content than he ever has in Detroit. Delfino endured a conflict with Brown and has renewed his bright future. We see the complaining from Darko, but not the perseverance.

As for the Saunders regime, Darko's permanent benching was fair and understandable. Darko was given a second chance and precious minutes to prove himself, and he exhausted both with apathetic and lackluster play. Nothing in the NBA is given, and dispirited and inconsistent performance is neither appreciated nor rewarded. Darko lacks mental toughness and is the epitome of passivity. Milicic is consistently weak on the boards, and fails to chase loose balls or make hustle plays. When asked about poor fourth quarter performance, Milicic reasoned "I was cold. Coming in the fourth quarter, I have to warm up." As absurd as that comment is coming from a professional basketball player, it is apparent that Darko, and not anyone around him, is at fault for the current quandary he finds himself in.

Is there time for redemption? There may or may not be. It is clear Dumars would make a trade if he saw it advantageous, as Darko is certainly no longer immune to being traded, though it is also likely that the Pistons are not actively seeking a trade. There is no quick fix. Only hard work in practice will get Darko back into Flip's rotation, but due to Milicic's history, no one should expect that. Sooner or later the excuses will run out. If Darko doesn't play with a more reliable and assertive approach to the game he will remain the letdown of Motown, and he has no one to blame but himself.