Cornstein: Milic will never play for Magic as long as Otis Smith is GM

[ibonedteribell 0]

How was it I got this message of what was going in between the lines and nobody else did? I have been posting that Darko had been ignored by Otis yet everyone said it was impossible! Darko wants to play where he is not second fiddle to any one. Yet,many feel he is more complete than Howard and is not getting the credit. This sounds a bit like the jameer and Arroyo controversy except there are no large Servian population in Orlando to help Darko.

[You're Fat, Pat! 98]

quote:

Originally posted by LarryEtt:

What about our Serbian fan base?

 

 

thats what Milovan Rakovic is for...haha...

[Nyce_1 311]

Here's the article:

quote:

Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer

6:49 PM EDT, July 3, 2007

 

Power forward Darko Milicic never will play for the Orlando Magic this season or any other "as long as Otis Smith is general manager," an irate Marc Cornstein, told the Sentinel.

 

Late Tuesday, shortly after the Magic withdrew their qualifying offer to Milicic -- whom Smith had said was a priority before the free-agent courting period began -- Cornstein blasted Smith for being a "liar." He called Smith's handling of his client "deceitful, disrespectful and a disgrace."

 

Cornstein said Smith had indicated that the Magic wanted to re-sign Milicic, but then sent an e-mail to him Tuesday telling him they had withdrawn their qualifying offer and made him an unresticted free agent.

 

Said Smith, "Our goals remain the same. To sign a free agent and try to retain Darko."

 

Cornstein said there's no chance.

 

"There's no chance. Put it in big capital letters," Cornstein said. "You can say that as long as Otis Smith is the general manager of the Orlando Magic, there's no chance."

 

Cornstein said that when the Magic did not contact him when the free-agency courting period began, "He didn't want to be here in the end. If Otis Smith had been a decent human and told us that Rashard Lewis was the player they wanted and would have to sacrifice Darko to get him, my reaction wouldn't have been happiness. But I would have said, 'I appreciate you telling me.'

 

"Instead, the guy told us Darko was a priority, and he lied."

 

Darko needs to fire his agent. This guy messed up by being so public about everything. Now he's pissed because he can only get MLE money for Darko. I bet we still clear cap space and re sign Darko (with the understanding that his agent be fired, lol).

[EnFuego 1]

quote:

Originally posted by ibonedteribell:

How was it I got this message of what was going in between the lines and nobody else did? I have been posting that Darko had been ignored by Otis yet everyone said it was impossible! Darko wants to play where he is not second fiddle to any one. Yet,many feel he is more complete than Howard and is not getting the credit. This sounds a bit like the jameer and Arroyo controversy except there are no large Servian population in Orlando to help Darko.

 

You keep saying that but your point was that Darko did not want to play here. Otis is the one that apparently does not want him here.

[JJZ 0]

OK, it's now official. Our #1 draft pick for this year was traded away for nothing. This should NEVER have happened if the front office, 1.5 years ago, had the ability to look to the future at all.

[ibonedteribell 0]

quote:

Originally posted by You're Fat, Pat!:

quote:

Originally posted by LarryEtt:

What about our Serbian fan base?

 

 

thats what Milovan Rakovic is for...haha...

You are a weasel like Otis man.

[Emory889 353]

quote:

Originally posted by ibonedteribell:

How was it I got this message of what was going in between the lines and nobody else did? I have been posting that Darko had been ignored by Otis yet everyone said it was impossible! Darko wants to play where he is not second fiddle to any one. Yet,many feel he is more complete than Howard and is not getting the credit. This sounds a bit like the jameer and Arroyo controversy except there are no large Servian population in Orlando to help Darko.

 

That is because you read between the lines on EVERYTHING. Eventually you were going to be right about something. Despite what his agent says I don't think this thing is over yet.

[You're Fat, Pat! 98]

heres the ESPN article...its a little more in-depth:

 

quote:

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

 

Milicic's agent Marc Cornstein said the move took him by surprise. He said Magic GM Otis Smith called him earlier in the day to tell him the team wanted to keep Milicic and would begin exploring ways to make it happen.

 

"I think it is unfortunate how dishonest and deceitful Otis Smith and the Orlando Magic have been in the process," Cornstein said. "However, I think it can be a good thing for Darko. I believe Darko is the most coveted free agent in the market now. We are excited to get a fresh start with a team that truly believes in him."

 

Said Smith of the Magic's decision: "Our goals remains the same: to sign a free agent and try to retain Darko. It hasn't changed."

 

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 Andreas 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.

 

Cornstein said that the Magic actually came very close to signing Milicic to an extension this fall, but unexpectedly withdrew their offer at the last minute.

 

"There has been a pattern of deception here," Cornstein said. "It started with Otis making an offer and the pulling it. He told us in private Darko was his No. 1 priority this offseason."

 

The move puzzled a number of general managers, one of whom wondered why the Magic didn't at least attempt to get something of value for Milicic.

 

"They gave up a No. 1 pick for him and he has enormous trade value," he said. "A number of teams would've talked with them about sign-and-trades, including us. But Otis didn't return calls and we never heard from him. It makes no sense."

 

If Milicic does decide to sign a mid-level deal, expect the teams like Philadelphia and San Antonio that will have signficant cap room to re-sign him in the summer of 2008.

 

 

 

DO WHAT??? THE MOST COVETED FA THIS ON THE MARKET??? give me a break...hes lost it...

[jack daniel 999 27]

Such is life ...

 

he's mad cause we won't pay Darko 10 million.

 

So it's time to move on .

 

Even tho I would of like to seen Darko here ...

 

but there is a time where you just say no.

 

I guess it's that time.

[gAmE.oVe|2 0]

his agent is so greedy...darko should sign a short term deal to prove himself to other teams so he can EARN that big deal cuz he has not earned anything yet

[serbianeagle 0]

but then sent an e-mail to him Tuesday telling him they had withdrawn their qualifying offer and made him an unresticted free agent.

 

lol they sent an email.

real pro's

 

starting now is a spit on darko fans competition.

[JJZ 0]

quote:

The move puzzled a number of general managers, one of whom wondered why the Magic didn't at least attempt to get something of value for Milicic.

 

"They gave up a No. 1 pick for him and he has enormous trade value," he said. "A number of teams would've talked with them about sign-and-trades, including us. But Otis didn't return calls and we never heard from him. It makes no sense."

 

The above two paragraphs are the key paragraphs in the article, and emphasize the points I've been trying to make in other threads. We're throwing away a number one draft pick (in this years draft, no less) as though it was worthless. This whole thing reflects very poorly on our front office and their planning.