By now, you probably know the deal with Ben Gordon. His strengths and his flaws are obvious. Gordon is an undersized shooting guard who can't really handle the ball or facilitate an offense. He is awful defensively, often forcing to the Bulls' other guard to defend the two's that Gordon can't check.
He's the Bulls' best scorer by a mile, though. When Gordon isn't on the court, every possession is an exercise in frustration. Nothing comes easy because no one on the Bulls can carry an offense like Gordon (at least not yet. I think we all agree that Derrick Rose should be there in no time, though). In a league where shooters are always at a premium, Gordon is one of the best around. He hit a bunch of three-pointers last year (over two per game) and did it efficiently (making 41 percent).
At midnight today, Ben Gordon became a free agent.
We've known this day was coming for years. The Bulls have tried unsuccessfully to resign Gordon each of the past two offseasons. Last year, Gordon waffled on an offer that would have paid him $54 million over six years. By the time he told the Bulls he was ready to accept the offer, it was off the table. That left Gordon with a one-year contract that brings us where we are today: with Gordon - the Bulls' best player since Jordan retired - as an unrestricted free agent, free to sign with any team of his choosing -- or at least one of the handful that have salary cap space.
One of those teams is the Bulls' biggest rival, the Detroit Pistons. Because of the trade that sent Chauncey Billups to Denver for Allen Iverson in the middle of last season, Detroit has enough cap space to score two big free agents. There have been reports over the last couple of weeks that Gordon is the Pistons' primary target, and that they are set to offer him a deal that could be worth up to $11 million per season.
Gordon flew to Detroit this morning to meet to Pistons GM Joe Dumars. A deal could get done at any time.
For their part, the Bulls have maintained all along that they want Gordon back. Of course they do, he's one of their best players. But here's where it gets tricky: in the NBA, owners have to pay a luxury tax if they go over the salary cap. It costs them one dollar for every dollar their team goes over. The Bulls right now have about $62 million committed in salaries next season without factoring in rookie scale guaranteed first round contracts to James Johnson and Taj Gibson. The tax threshold will be announced in the coming days, but it's believed to be around $70 million. There is no way the Bulls can resign Gordon without paying the luxury tax next season.
So here is the question the Bulls must answer: do they let Gordon walk in the prime of his career to their biggest rival for no compensation, or do they bite the bullet for a year and pay the tax?
We've heard both sides of the argument play out passionately. Is Gordon worth the money? It seems like everyone has an opinion. Here's mine: If $2 million is all that is keeping Ben Gordon from being a Bull for the next six seasons, they should resign him. Next offseason, when Jerome James, Tim Thomas, and Brad Miller see their deals expire, the Bulls won't have to pay the tax anymore. It would require a year of sacrifice from owner Jerry Reinsdorf, but I think it would be worth it.
That's not to say that the Bulls are fine if they remain status quo. They need a big man who can score, and they need one as soon as possible. The two most ideal candidates are Toronto's Chris Bosh and Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire, in that order. Both are free agents after next season. Both are likely to leave their current teams. The Bulls need to find a way to acquire one of those players, and best way to do it would be a trade this offseason. Why risk seeing Bosh sign with LeBron in 2010? The Bulls need to go for it now and make a strong offer. If the Bears can do it to land a quarterback, the Bulls can do it to land a power forward.
Keep Gordon, add Bosh or Amare, and watch this team explode. If it happens before the start of next season - maybe I'm crazy for thinking that's a possibility - the Bulls will be a contender for an NBA title for a very long time. It might cost them Tyrus Thomas. It might even cost them Joakim Noah. But those guys are role players who can be replaced. Get the big fish first and then let everything else fall into place.
My idea to resign Gordon is contingent on adding a big man. If they can't get one - either this year or next - BG may not be worth the money. That's because with Gordon and with one of the aforementioned forwards, this offense has a chance to be unreal. It would be the Bulls' identity: an offensive juggernaut. Factor in that Luol Deng isn't dead, he's only 24. Derrick Rose is great already and will only become exponentially better. With the right coach (and, no, VDN isn't it), we should be looking at a team that could outscore anyone.
I know "offense" is a dirty word in Chicago. You guys like gritty, hard-nosed 'D', the type that led the Bears to the Super Bowl in 1985, and backbone of the Jordan Era for the Bulls. But you can win with offense too, and the Bulls are awfully close to having the pieces to do it. Resigning Gordon is the first step. We should know what happens very soon.
Ricky O'Donnell is the founder of the Chicago sports blog Tremendous Upside Potential and one of the editors of the Sun-Times' fantasy blog.
Good article. I like your plans for making the Bulls a contender. Hey Sun Times, hire this kid immediately.
Ricky replies: Haha. This is what happens when I tell my friends to read this stuff.
Easier said than done, Ricky. This is the scenario that I've been playing out with the Bulls since last year. So basically, the bottom line is that the Bulls will have to pay the luxury tax penalty and bite that bullett for 1 season. I've been under the assumption that the Bulls will NOT touch luxury tax territory, GarPaxDorf have already gone on record in saying so in public. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees on acquiring Bosh or Amare (I'd prefer Bosh if I had a choice between the two) even if BG is re-signed. The Bulls say they want to emphasize defense next season, but it sure looks like that's not going to come from the guard position if the Bulls are indeed serious about BG. You forgot to mention Kirk Hinrich as an X-factor in trades. He's going to have to be included in the package along with Tyrus or Noah (not both) and perhaps future or current draft picks to get a deal done. You also said "get the big fish first...". Well, as I'm typing up this note, BG is already meeting up with Dumars at Detroit for negotiations. Are you sure you can hammer out a trade before BG gets signed up or re-signed? It doesn't look that way, does it? I see the Bulls losing the BG battle. Everything all hinges on Reinsdorf now and considering his track record, this looks like a "step backward first in order to move forward" scenario playing out. Man, did that Ben Wallace signing a couple years ago and Luol Deng last year really screw up the Bulls payroll structure. Yes, if the Bears can do it with Cutler, then so should the Bulls, but a Bosh or Amare trade approved by Reinsdorf at this point would be more surprising to me than the Cutler trade that basically just happened at the right timing.
I second MIKE's motion!!! Ricky - time in the minors seemed to have been good for your game. Now posters know how passionate I have been about this issue - and you have nailed it. Well done my friend...well done.
Hey Stu, you are about to get Steve Stoned!!!! Now ask any Whitesox Fan what that means....
Ricky - please...no more references to the '85 Bears...that was effin 24 years ago!
Exactly WHO doesn't like offense?
I totally agree with this post. I hate AND1 players because it's a lot of flash. Ben Gordon get's treated like he's straight off the AND1 team, but he has won at the college level and helped us get to the playoff except for one year. We have a promising PG, and pure SG and we need a great post up player. We will cause a lot of teams problems then.
A well written opinion Ricky but as Edgar points out and i agree, BG's departure is all but a done deal. Time to look at a block buster trade.
Ricky, wise thinking on re-signing BG. What would be the point of acquiring a Bosh or Amare if teams could double down in the post without the threat of the three ball? When the Suns were at their best a few years back, it was because Nash (like DRose) could drive the lane and either finish at the rim, leave it for Amare to dunk or kick it out to an open shooter. Eliminate one of those options, and the team becomes clustered inside the paint, which is what happened this year when the Suns had Shaq and Amare down low and no shooters on the perimeter. Yes, his lack of defense and 7th-grade ball handling skills are annoying, but there's no way the Bulls can take the next step forward without Gordon's long range skills.
Also, random note, but why does Detroit even want to pay BG $10 mil/year? They signed Rip Hamilton to a 3-year/$34 million deal last November, and they have Rodney Stucky at the point, yet they have no good power forwards or centers. Seeing Ben go would be tough, but the fact that our top rival is way overpaying for a third guard would soften the blow a little bit.
Oh and let me add this about the Bulls and Free Agency... perhaps they should take a long look at how the Blackhawks operate when it comes to attacking the free agent market. The last 2 years the Blackhawks negotiated, finalized and signed their top free agent priorities in 1 day, Bryan Campbell and now Marian Hossa. Impressive. And here the conservative Bulls just continue to sit on their a**es as if they have no plan whatsoever and just wait until the dust clears on the Ben Gordon courtship and suitor/s, nothing else. I guess they're happy with just James Johnson and Taj Gibson. And hey look what I just received in the mail today? A Bulls season ticket renewal application! How typical.
Can the Bulls win with offense?
Hell… that is the only way that they are winning right now.
In the 2008-09 season:
The Bulls scored an average of 102.17 points per game.
They gave up an average of 102.45 points per game.
102.17 points per game ranks them 8th in the NBA in scoring... the same spot that Gordon holds in individual scoring.
Only 9 teams gave up more points than the Bulls did last year and 5 of those 9 teams had the 5 worst records in the league.
That is not just a coincidence.
Take away Gordon’s 24 points a game and you have to have someone (and don't ask me who) must step up and score some points.
Not someone adding to their 13 a game but 18 or 19 extra points that did not exist last season because Gordon and his points would be gone.
If they can only knock down 18 to 19 points a game then you have yourself a 24-58 team and a lottery ball with your name on it.
That 5 point swing is the difference between a playoff team and a bottom feeder.
Without Gordon on this team last year they are the Memphis Grizzlies.
Please don't say that 8 different players can just add 3 points a game to their totals from last year. That is not how the game works.
I would gladly give up Thomas or Deng for Bosh or Stoudemire and if the Bulls can pull that off they should consider themselves lucky.
Hey, we just traded with Detroit to get Marian Hossa for Ben Gordon! I insist that we got the better part of that trade.
There you go.
I said last Friday that he would be playing for the Pistons come October.
5 years and over $50 million.
Who said that he was not going to get that kind of money?
Interesting article. I agree with the general premise. I disagree with the acquisition of Bosh though. The Eastern Conference continues to bulk up. And our solution to that problem is acquiring the skinniest PF on earth (i know his stats are great). Keep Gordon, throw a truck load of money at Amare. No, Stoudamire won't be a bargain, but it'll likely help in the signing of BG7. Keeping this team together is crucial to its success. Every great player needs help (just ask Lebron). Rose can't carry this team all by his lonesome, at least not yet.
On a side note: I love when our fans (Anonymous? Nice handle) compare Gordon to MJ. Yes, MJ averaged about 3 million per season until 96-98 (when he received 63 million over two seasons). Then again, MJ was a marketing machine, Nike's wet dream. He made more money off Hanes, McDonalds, Gatorade, and Nike than his actual NBA salary. Essentially, he didn't need to make lofty demands because he just happened to be the most marketable player on the planet. When a shoe company drops 80 million for you to star in commercials, it makes you less mad about your salary scale. Guys like MJ don't come around often. It's unlikely we'll ever see another player like him.
Gordon isn't on his level, he's not multi-dimensional. So that comparision is a moot point. That being said, BG is an exceptional scorer. One that was incredibly hard to come by. Before Gordon came along, the Bulls were in a free fall at SG. Corey Benjamin, Ron Mercer, Jamal Crawford, Jalen Rose. It's easy to forget how bad the position was post MJ. It took 6 years to find Gordon. It took 10 to find Derrick Rose. Why throw away all the teams hard work by letting Ben walk? Without Gordon the Bulls are a team with role players and 1 Star. We've seen how that equation usually works. It likely results in zero titles.
Well, it's now official, BG is gone. And the Bulls let him go for almost NOTHING except save some $'s and some financial flexibility in their available salary cap space. Unbelievable. Did Gar Forman just flat out LIE to the media and fans a couple of weeks ago when he said that re-signing BG was the Bulls' TOP PRIORITY this offseason? 1 visit with the Pistons and that's it? There wasn't even any counteroffer or renegotiating attempt? Not even a a possible sign & trade scenario? If BG was the top priority, what now this offseason, GarPax? Any backup plans or more false trade rumors involving Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol? Some cheapie alternatives in free agency to back up Salmons and Hinrich or are they looking to see what undrafted free agents step up in their Summer League program? I swear, this Bulls management team is so darn textbook cheap and predictable. Almost every single move in the last 5 years I called right down to the tee except the Brad Miller and Salmons acquisitions. Nice job so far GarPax! Aargh!
I feel like Florida Evans when James died!!! On the night when the Sox sweep, I have to hear this news. Kerr gone, Norm gone, and now Ben Gordon a Piston. I feel like someone stuck a hot knife in my back!
Edgar - I owe you a blog-pology. I am sorry my friend, and I will NEVER doubt you again. And I am done. Bulls have chosen KIRK over Ben and I will never forgive them for this. And now the season is in the hands of Rose, Salmons and Hinrich. And watch them BENCH Salmons for Hinrich. It won't matter anyway. They are going to suck rocks and games will be over after the 3rd quarter. Tyrus Thomas is next to go, there are no minutes for him when all of those rookies join the team. And Deng is back. Sad sorry lottery team - with Vinny the Vanilla coach!!!! :(
They just ruined my entire winter. I need an NBA pass to watch Gordon and Doug Collins. This is just terrible. Sorry Bulls don't know what they've done. Bulls are saving dough for NOTHING. Nobody's going to take their offer. NOBODY. And if I were Rose - I wouldn't be killing myself trying to do it all myself. I would bide my time until that 5th year and roll. Rose is ALL there is left and whoever they pick with next years top 10 pick, because I may not know as much as Edgar - but I KNOW a lottery team when I see one. I am hurting bad. Sad Sad day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree Edgar.
This seems like the same hot air that Krause gave us with his big talk about signing some "Full boat" free agents after he killed the golden goose.
Then he sends Benny the Bull to great Tracy McGrady at the airport and that was the end of that.
Not one free agent took them seriously after that moment.
They just laughed.
You think that they would have been a little more impressed if Michael Jordan was the one greeting them and then wining and dining them to get them in a Bulls uniform?
Not with this mom and pop organization I guess.
Ben Gordon is not one of the premier players in the game but this is not a team that is loaded with talent and can afford to cast him off like he was Craig Hodges.
Gordon is gone and there was no effort from GarPax to keep him here or at least get something in return.
So who picks up that slack now?
This is 24 points a game we are talking about here and that is not chump change for any team to let slip away.
They did not draft a player who can light it up and they did not pick up a guard who can shut anyone else down..... so what is the plan?
Is John Salmons suddenly your man because he played well against Boston?
If so then I hope that GarPax remembered that Salmons is an unrestricted free agent after the upcoming season and he will be 30 years old in December. Do you give him money while letting your leading scoring walk away?
If so then what did you accomplish?
If they miss the playoffs (and I can see that happening with no problem) then what free agent is going to come here to play for a losing team that is cheap and coached by Vinny Del Negro?
Hype up the notion that a big time player is coming to town for a year and a half and then get ready to settle for more bland moves and another 10 years of rebuilding.
I hope he doesnt come back to scorch us.
NBA Free Agency SUCKS!
I am starting to hate the NBA for it...you cant even like a guy on a team for very long, cause you know its only stop 1 of his 5 stop career journey.
How many teams has Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, Shaq, AI, been on?
Its freakin sickening to me...
is anyone else feelin the same way?
Two teams play at the United Center. One team manages itself with agonizing deliberation, conservatism and moves that make fans question how much they want to win. The other manages itself with aggressiveness and an obvious will to win. You guess which is which.
I went out to blockbusters last night and turned on the radio and I sat in the car in shock as they made this announcement. And one by one ESPN1000 had all the sad, shocked and bewildered Gordon fans compounded by all the elated and giddy Hinrich fans around the city call in. I don't know who hosted their show last night, but KC Johnson called in and that was trully a treat. Now that guy knows the Bulls. He broke down the luxury ramaphications for the Bulls and they would've had to eat 20 million dollars of luxury to sign Ben. They knew it for a long time and let the harsh reality be delivered by the market and media. Thats why Paxson got out of there and they hired Gar.
Free agency is the same in every sport, why hate the NBA?
In my opinion both Ben and Kirk needed to go.
Kirk is valuable esp as a defender but he makes too much $ to be a backup. That CHI to Portland trade needs to happen.
Ben is a top 20 talent in scoring but a starting SG on a championship caliber team needs to be more multi-dimensional than he is. Ben is a 6th man on a champion not a starter unless we have All-star bigs which we don't. I'm not happy to see him go, we will lose some close games at the buzzer next year without BG's clutch shooting. But in the long run, we can't afford to pay a 6th man 10 million. We already screwed up with Kirk's and Loul's contract.
I never got all the Ben hate. Always about what he couldn't do. Can't defend(most 2 guards can't, look at Ray Allen or Kevin Martin). There are holes in his game for sure but the MF could do one thing great and that was score. That was his job, now he could have added other aspects to his game but he did his role very well and the Bulls will miss that. Now it's on Deng and Tyrus to step up and replace his points.
Also Salmons is no BG replacement. He's taller but doesn't use his height. He is a bad rebounder and only marginally better on D. Is a ballhog and dribbles in trouble just as much Ben. And he's 30. We should trade him while his value is still high cause I think last year was kind of a fluke.
In 2010, we need Wade and either Amare/Bosh. Bosh/Rose or Amare/Rose isn't enough to win a title.
Mick - great post except that last sentence. The Bulls will NOT get another top 20 player on this roster as long as Paxson is at the helm. Couldn't get Bosh, Wade, Labron in here if the Bulls held all their mother's hostage. We might be able to pick up a player like Amare who is a shell of his former self and not going to give his all to Chicago. It will be Ben Wallace part II.
Stars take one look at the roster and determine how hard they are going to play. And there is NOTHING and noone on the Bulls roster that would inspire anyone to play their hearts out. LA, Orlando, Cleveland, San Antonio, Denver, Boston, ok. But the Bulls...please. The equivalent of being sent to Siberia. Say all the right things, keep your comments short, practice, show up, pad stats, play for pride, get that check, go home - and hope a Contender calls you for a trade. That is what every agent is going to advise their star player in Chicago.
Why didn't Gordon sign with one of those contendors? Gordon went to the ONLY team with money to spend. You really do need to get paid to live in that city.
It is, and always will be the bottom line DOLLAR...don't ever forget.
Carl - many folks said that Gordon wasn't going to get signed AT ALL. But Gordon signed with the team that wanted him the MOST and that was Detroit. Gordon wasn't even on the market for an hour. Detroit knew all they needed to know and that is - if Chicago just got another star to go along with Gordon and Rose, they would have the neucleus of a winner. So Joe made his move before one of those Eastern Conf. Contenders made theirs. Someone like Boston. The rest of the NBA respects Ben Gordon's game especially after that Boston Series. Chicago took a MAJOR step backwards. And if they don't rectify it soon - they are going to have a full revolt on their hands - players, fans, press. And that is when teams are going to come in and SMASH Chicago by 20 a night. And Rose is going to plan his escape.
Keith - I guess I don't understand your point. Detroit is one of only three teams who could offer Gordon anything close to the offer he previously turned down...and Gordon wanted his money...match made in Heaven.
Either you want to play for a championship contender, or you want to get paid. Very seldom are those the same thing. Don't get me wrong, if I were Gordon, I'd jump for the money also even though I'm going to a team no better than 4th in the conference...much better than the Bulls' 8th seed at best next year.
Also - who said that Gordon would be without a contract?
Carl - you are right about Gordon, but for all NBA players its all about the second contract. I don't expect the Pistons or the Bulls to make the playoffs, but if I was a gambling man, I would bet on Detroit.
And MANY of my fellow FCP bloggers, expected no team to show any interest in Gordon, and he would come back hat-in-hand and accept an insulting contract (including Bulls management). Ben got paid, but I am one of a few that believe he is worth every penny. I don't know if we have a player on the team that has his work-out regimine, heart, professionalism, and all around skill. Rose is the closest, but he is no where near the shooter that Gordon is RIGHT now. Gordon has played almost every game for 5 straight years. And you can really compare that production across the league.
Sup Keith, Carl - thanks for continuing the BG discussion. Basically no one is saying the BG is not worth the money that Detroit signed him to anymore. BG's market value was already dictated from last season when the Bulls made the inital long-term offer during his Restrictive FA status, and then he turned it down but tried to accept it later on, only for the offer to be pulled off again by the Bulls. Eventually BG signed the one-year tender offer which marked his last days as a Bull. Dumars went after him and made the offer quick right on day 1 of free agency, the Bulls did not (despite Gar Forman's ridiculous comments in May that his "top priority" was to re-sign BG. LIAR!), simple as that. You can't fault BG for essentially going after the money because this is really his first "big" contract and who knows if he'll ever get another deal like this with the Pistons or another team down the road. BG is not at that stage of his career yet where it's more important for him to play for a Championship contender and that's ok by me. The only comment that I disagree with from Keith is the notion of BG's "all-around" skill? He's a one-dimensional scorer, period, but a solid NBA player with special scoring skills worthy enough for him to be valued at $10-$11 million contract worth, which to me, is just about right considering he's also a non all-star as well. More importantly though, the Bulls Front Office is so messed up because they're too closed-minded and think too much inside the box to try for something different to work around the salary cap rules. Instead, as usual, something leaks out in the media that they're involved with some 3-way or 4-way blockbuster deal for a Boozer or getting rid of expiring contract/s, but that obviously fizzles only to resurface again yesterday and so forth. Oh but hey, the Bulls "secretly" report a Tim Thomas contract buyout to help sign Jannero Pargo and re-sign Lindsey Hunter. Ooo, real impressive moves there. I mean, how many times have we heard blockbuster trade rumors involving the Bulls that NEVER happen? What a joke! Just continuing cheap and predicatable tactics by JR and co. to fool the casual fans out there, but will NEVER fool the diehards like myself.