4 years 20 million for Darko.

[Jackattaq]

I think you didn't watch the games or look at the numbers if you think Kevin Love didn't play his best basketball next to Al Jefferson. He also may have played his worst basketball next to Darko Millic the Wolves new starting center which at the very least has to be a concern.

Al Jefferson on the other hand seemed to benefit the most from having Darko Millic around to play center which was one of the biggest reasons why I was excited for next season. A fully healthy Jefferson finally free to play his best position with a legitimate NBA center, possibly without any glaring holes on the perimeter?

I was excited for both the Wolves and Jefferson finally.

Wow, I love reading old posts, KLove played his worst next to Darko (including a 31/31 game) and Al Jefferson played his best around Darko?

Darko's emergence as a low post player/threat has made everyone on the team better and has increased the spacing on the court and allowed for easier buckets.

At 4 million per season, Darko's seeming like the steal of the summer.

[shangrila]

Don't know if this is bump worthy, but he was completely right at the time. Both Love and Darko struggled playing together because neither was a dominant scorer and both seemed to play better when they could work off Jefferson.

Somehow though they've both become dominant scorers and are actually working really well with each other. Love, for example, moves well of the ball to take advantage of Darko's passing. Just a really nice combination lately.

Now, if we could only get Beasley back to form we'd be going somewhere.

[horaceworthy]

He really wasn't. He was working off a small sample size that included more negative moments for each pairing than it did positive, and the best that Darko or Love looked with anybody was probably when they were playing together during that first game against OKC that Darko played in.

Darko's emerging low block game definitely makes Love the better match, though just how good he's been the past few games has been flabbergasting.

[shrink]

I'm generally not a fan of bumping old threads, but I have to say that it was fascinating re-reading this thread, and seeing what different people thought of the deal.

Thanks Jack

[Busch Legion]

I think it was the Clippers game when Beas was going off, that the announcers brought up Darko and his contract. They mentioned the money and the length, but the point they brought up was this.... Who was competing for Darko? Minnesota shoulda been able to land him for a lot less right? Was Minnesota bidding against themselves?

Thought it was an interesting point. Suppose it was the amount needed to keep him here, which is looking like a steal. From looking horrible to awesome. Hopefully the awesome continues.

[Krapinsky]

I think it was the Clippers game when Beas was going off, that the announcers brought up Darko and his contract. They mentioned the money and the length, but the point they brought up was this.... Who was competing for Darko? Minnesota shoulda been able to land him for a lot less right? Was Minnesota bidding against themselves?

Thought it was an interesting point. Suppose it was the amount needed to keep him here, which is looking like a steal. From looking horrible to awesome. Hopefully the awesome continues.

This debate has been rehashed a number of times. Kahn's POV was that he had to look forward as well as back. I think the idea is there has to be some kind of accord to keep the player motivated and happy. He sold Darko on being the team's starter if he was to return. You can't really ask a guy to be your starter and then pay him the league minimum or something close to it.

Another way to do it might have been to say, sign him for one year at like $2M and have him prove his worth. Problem there is that if he exceeded expectations, like it looks like he might, then we might lose money in the long run.

I actually think Kahn played this one right.

[shangrila]

For comparison's sake, Darko makes less then Webster and Beasley, $50,000 more then Pekovic and around $500,000 more then Love, Brewer, Johnson and Ridnour.