BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics announced Wednesday that they have waived center Darko Milicic.
“Darko has asked us to release him so he could deal with a personal matter,” Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said in a press release. “The whole Celtics family wishes Darko and his family well.”
Celtics coach Doc Rivers detailed Tuesday how Milicic's mother is ill back in his native Serbia and, coupled with a non-existent role with Boston (he played 4½ minutes in one regular-season game), had left Milicic leaning towards departing the team. Rivers said he supported Milicic's decision and left the final decision to him.
At least for the moment, this ends a 10-year NBA career that will be remembered for Milicic's inability to live up to his draft hype. The Pistons selected him with the No. 2 pick in the 2003 draft, one spot behind LeBron James, but in front of the likes of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade.
The Celtics now have an available roster spot, but Rivers indicated that the team would be patient in its search to add a body, possibly waiting until later in the season to preserve room for the trade or waiver deadlines.
