Now Darko is free!

[Skinned]

If we could only trade away Etan, and somehow sign both Navarro and Darko

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2925284

One day after coming to a verbal agreement with free agent Rashard Lewis, the Orlando Magic withdrew their qualifying offer for restricted free agent Darko Milicic on Tuesday.

n effect, the move means the Magic have renounced their rights to Milicic and he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Now, any team in the league can sign Milicic without fear of the Magic matching an offer. Only three teams, the Bobcats, Grizzlies and Bucks, have the cap room available to offer more than the mid-level exception. A fourth team, the Chicago Bulls, might be able to clear enough room if they were to renounce their rights to free agent Andres Nocioni.

If neither Charlotte or Memphis are interested, Milicic will likely have to sign a one- or two-year deal for the mid-level exception and re-enter the free-agent market next summer to look for a bigger deal.

Milicic was looking for a long-term deal averaging between $9 and $10 million a year, according to league sources.

[bulldog]

$10 million a year?

Yeah, he's 23 but his production so far is akin to Kwame Brown's..............

The Wizards can't deal Thomas because of his inflated contract, so it appears that Haywood will be the one dealt.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

And Brenda's bum ass should be the one to be traded.

But yeah, I like Darko and have advocated picking him up, but in no way would I give him 10 mil a year.

[mojobo]

might like to see nocioni become free

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

I heard Nocioni is going to Memphis. That's the rumor anyway.

[Skinned]

Darko can only get 10M from a few teams, but I can't imagine anyone giving him that anyways. If Nocioni goes to Memphis, the Bulls may offer Darko more than the mid-level and steal him. They have to make sure though that they have enough left to resign Deng and Gordon next year.

Darko will probably have to settle for the mid-level on a 1-2 year deal and then test the waters again.

It will be unfortunate if he doesn't get an offer from us, because we have a wide open front court and he could make a name for himself and drive up his value. Opportunity knocks here for any available front court player...not sure why free agents don't see that.

[clathel]

...It will be unfortunate if he doesn't get an offer from us, because we have a wide open front court and he could make a name for himself and drive up his value. Opportunity knocks here for any available front court player...not sure why free agents don't see that.

Because all we can offer is a MLE....Trade AJ for Yi, that will give us a young quality center and room to sign a very good PF.

[Skinned]

Because all we can offer is a MLE....Trade AJ for Yi, that will give us a young quality center and room to sign a very good PF.

Milwaukee would have to throw in a lot more than Yi to make the salaries match up and we don't need any more junk players or contracts.

[Gator Bait]

Because all we can offer is a MLE....Trade AJ for Yi, that will give us a young quality center and room to sign a very good PF.

Yi isn't a center....he is a PF, and I'd rather have a proven AJ anyway

[PapaDRoc]

Yi isn't a center....he is a PF, and I'd rather have a proven AJ anyway

Yea...and a guy who is a lock to show up to D.C.

[ksun247]

Don't want Darko!!! But if the WIZ got Yi, I highly doubt he'd have a problem coming to DC. There's plenty of Asian fans in the area and the Chinese Gov't and National team will let him come here with no issues. I just wouldn't give up Jamison/Blatche or OP to get him.

[LiveStrongSkins]

Every time I see the name Darko I ask myself what the hell was Dumars thinking passing on carmelo.

[clathel]

If we do a trade just for Yi we might be able to get a trade exception like GS in the trade for Wright and that would help us immeasurably sign free agents. Yi is a PF/C like Brenda/Etan but more talented.

[WizSkinsO's]

Any bright minds out there know of any scenarios in which we can possibly free up cap room to sign Darko? Would trading Etan and Daniels or something do it? Because, really, Darko would be exactly what this team needs. Big real center who plays some great D and can rebound the ball too and he's just going to continue to get much better offensively; the potential is still there and he's finally starting to harness it. Obviously it wasn't better than Wade's and Melo's and all them, but he's going to be a darn good player in his own right and is still out there without too much interest it seems.

If there's any way we make a trade to be able to sign Darko, Ernie is officially my hero.

[mojobo]

I like what we have in Pecherov more than Darko. No need to get a more expensive version of a player we already have.