Is this the kid we drafted?

Darko vs. Wade

I think Jackattaq's last post on Darko was dead-on. And while I recently posted on the other forum, that I earnestly wish we had drafted Dwayne Wade, instead of Darko, the reality is that Larry Brown still doesn't like to play rookies. As magnificent as Wade has become (capable of backing up the 1 2 and 3 positions and getting serious minutes in the last two years for the Pistons)- he probably wouldn't have played. And Darko would have been drafted by a lowly squad, and would be getting 15 and 8 with a block or two over the last couple of years. We'd be sitting around wondering who this Wade schlubb is, and how much that 15 and 8 could have helped us against the Spurs last year.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe Wade's talent was just too obvious to miss, and he'd have made a difference for us from the beginning. But I think that Brown can be pretty stubborn, and would have kept him from being the mega-star he's become.

The role might not have done justice to Wade's talents, but it's easy to see him occupying Mike James' niche as the second Pit Bull. Larry loves that backcourt pressure, and Wade got decent PT in the Olympics under Brown because he was the only guy on the squad who could press and ballhawk.

That's not second-guessing the pick, just saying that even a vet-oriented coach like Larry would find it hard not to love Wade's game.

Darko vs Wade

I dont think Wade would have found minutes hard to come buy at all . His talent would have been so obvious LB couldnt have sat him. Remember before Delfino hurt his knee he got the opportunity to prove if he could ball or not. So much has been made about LB not playing Darko but i think the organization just wanted to bring him along slowly. He still is only 20 years old!

Wade

Wade wasn't even an option for us. Who cares if LB would have played him? If it wasn't Darko it would have been Bosh. If Bosh wasn't an option it would be a toss up between Melo and Kaman, or more likely we just trade the pick at that point.

God only knows how much value we could have got trading that pick.... Especially when DMC was in full hype mode.... I know Denver was very interested in trading up... Nene & the #3 for our #2 & Curry?