Re-Free Darko

ZACH RANDOLPH TO MEMPHIS...RUMORS...WON'T...DIEEEE!

But oh yeah, in order for Zeebo to shimmy his way on down to Grizzlam, somebody has to head to NYC. The latest has Darko and Marko tearing up the Big Apple, and reports indicate that the deal is sitting on Walsh's desk for approval.

First, don't do it (I feel obligated to say it every time this rumor rears its hideous, disfigured head). Second, could this be another big opportunity for Darko to put his career together? I know Memphis was supposed to be that stop, but expecting Iavaroni to piece together Darko's broken confidence and figure out a way to effectively use Darko's talents (notice I didn't quantify that talent) is perhaps too tall of an order. Memphis had some pretty big problems on the side, like y'know, trying to put some W's together and convince the world they didn't get fleeced on the biggest trade of the season.

But that doesn't matter right now. What is of a bit of interest to me is whether or not Mike D'Antoni is the coach that can finally get the best out of Darko. Darko is no Amare Stoudemire, and he's not even a Steven Hunter, really. I'm not quite sure that D'Antoni encountered anything even close to Darko in Phoenix. He's got a bit of range, not the best at finishing inside, but can actually provide a bit of a shot-blocking presence on the defensive end. If anything, he's a softer, taller version of Kurt Thomas, without the 'I just might kill you' grit. Still, it's something to think about, especially since Darko reportedly wouldn't mind a move to the east coast. And while we're at it, Marko...yeah, nevermind. But considering the Knicks may be paying Darko $7 million a year in the near future, it's definitely something to think about.