Requiem for A Draft Pick

"I thought we’d get to see forever
But forever’s gone away
It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday."

"It's So Hard to Say Goodbye." - Boyz II Men

Gone, Darko Gone, Darko's Gone:

The Detroit Pistons gave up on Darko Milicic on Wednesday night, trading the No. 2 pick in the 2003 draft to the Orlando Magic along with Carlos Arroyo for a first-round selection and center Kelvin Cato.

Detroit drafted Milicic three years ago after LeBron James and ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. But Milicic barely played as the Pistons won an NBA title, almost repeated last year and have compiled the best record this season.

And thus, hopefully, ends the era of pie in the sky dreams of squandrons of teenage, slavic 7-footers, running like gazelles, 'transforming the game'. I don't want basketball transformer, damnit, I want people who are good.

For what it's worth, The Darko Milicic Experience is exactly what I had in mind when I expressed concern for Freddy Adu's possible move to the Big Time in Europe. The parralels should be obvious.