SRB - Darko wants prominent role with NBA team

ORLANDO (NBA) - Darko Milicic is facing a summer of contract negotations, but he will not be focusing solely on dollars and cents.

The Serbian center has told the Orlando Magic he wants to be given a more important role if he is to stay in South Florida for the long term.

Milicic, a former first-round draft pick of the Detroit Pistons who was traded to Orlando last season, is eligible to become a restricted free agent this summer as his rookie contract nears its end.

He will be an expensive man to re-sign, but Milicic doesn't want big money just to sit on the bench.

He played in 84 games for the Magic this season - including all four of their defeats against the Pistons in the play-offs - but started only 19, averaging 23.9 minutes per game.

Dwight Howard is the established on-court leader of the Magic, but with Grant Hill set to retire, Milicic wants an increase in his own responsibility.

"Personally, I want to be the guy a team plays through," Milicic said in the Orlando Sentinel. "I don't want to be just a player who's there."

The hope is that Milicic's contract can be resolved quickly to allow him to focus on preparation for the EuroBasket in September, a competition Milicic has already committed to playing in.

The ball is in the Magic's court, according to Milicic.

"I would like to stay here and they would like me to be here," he said. "But I can't talk about it until it's time for that and we'll see if they really want me here."

Magic general manager Otis Smith is certainly saying all the right things.

"We can't afford to lose a big guy," he said of Milicic. "We want Darko on our team."

Ian Parker   

FIBA