I've been a little bit behind on blogging the news because of the hectic roll-out of the sponsorship, but we're back to normal now. The new contest is up until 7 p.m. tonight, and it's not a flat-out giveaway like the last one. Expect more contests, weekly sponsored posts, and so forth. Otherwise, it's business as usual at P&T. Thank you guys for being supportive and participating.
Anyway, the news has been brewing for a while that Darko Milicic would like to head back to Europe. As I said when the word first emerged, it's become clear that Darko Milicic exists on a plane separate from the NBA grind. Some might say he's a bust. I say he's just not wired for the NBA framework- the absorption of self into team, the repetition, etc. Darko is by no means a sinister guy, but he's fed up with pro ball in the U.S. Anyway, that's old news. The current stuff is that he's working on a buyout with the Knicks, so that he can return to Europe to join his family and play in a more accommodating environment. From Anthony Rieber of Newsday:
Milicic, who hasn't played since Nov. 13, has asked the Knicks to let him go so he can take the year off and pursue a career in Europe next season.
"They can't promise me nothing," the native of Serbia said Thursday after practice. "They can't promise me when it's going to happen or if it's going to happen. They say they're working on it. We'll see."
The problem? Milicic, 24, is being paid $7.5 million to pine on the pine, and the Knicks would have to agree to release him or to a buyout before he can put the NBA in his rear-view mirror.
"We are talking right now," Milicic said. "Trying to find the best solution for them and me. Just being here for nothing, it's not me. There's a lot of guys in the league just happy to be around. That's not me. I'm not happy just to be around. I've got to play."
That's pretty straightforward. My question is this: If the Knicks can reach a buyout with Darko Milicic, how would you like them to use the newly open roster spot? There's a possibility that Walsh might want to leave room for some sort of deadline trade, but odds are the vacant spot will free for a free agent signing. What type of player would we be looking for in that instance? I'd be in favor of combing the D-League or waivers for a backup point guard (JamesOn Curry?), another shooter (Morris Almond! Please!), or a shot blocker to help out David Lee (didn't Sean "Chong" Williams just become available?). If a buyout is ever actually reached, I'll probably be consulting Jon and Scott on this topic.
What about y'all? If an open roster spot presents itself, where would you look? What position needs bolstering, and what specific names would you target? Remember that there's a possibility of Cuttino Mobley finally being bought out someday, so there are multiple scenarios in which a signing could be made. Share your thoughts in the comments.
Sidenote: If you think the D-League isn't a worthy spot to search for NBA-ready talent, you did not watch basketball last night.