Some people, including Gilbo Arenas, have claimed Gordon’s impending free agency, and his decision to turn down a guaranteed $50 million, has affected his play this season. But as KC Johnson recently told us, via AOL Fanhouse, naturally, that Gordon could have his offseason already mapped out.
K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune quotes some anonymous confidants of Ben Gordon's who say the guard isn't concerned with a fat contract extension this summer. Instead, Johnson writes, Gordon will look to sign a one-year, $6 million tender with the Bulls and set up his unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2009.
Even as a notorious Gordon-hater, I can say this deal would get my vaunted stamp of approval. Pretty much any one-year deal is hard to argue against, unless I suppose Viktor Khryapa is getting it. The thing with Gordon is that you don’t want to tie him up long term for a lot of money, but a one year deal makes a lot of sense for the Bulls, though I don’t see the advantages from Gordon’s perspective. He would want to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, looking to make some Rashard Lewis money, no doubt, though that plan is awfully risky.
One thing is for sure: a starting backcourt of Hinrich and Duhon is downright dreadful. I think Blog-a-Bull summed up the problems of the current starting five best: “It makes the times where (Duhon’s) out there with Ben Wallace seem self-defeating.” Couldn’t agree more.
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Comments
ben gordon has been in talks to leave the nba to take over the role of Big Mama in the hit film series Big Mama's House. so he may never come back to the nba
Nice post, Rickhouse. Agree with you that a one-year offer would be great for the Bulls (as would trading him in a sign and trade, since they can't afford to pay Gordon as much as he will get, just to be a one-dimensional shooter).
Some other team might need a one-dimensional shooter, and might be willing to overpay for him (see Vince Carter on the Nets, or Rashard Lewis on the Magic). A likely team to feel that way in 2009? The Celtics, if they can trade Ray Allen's expiring contract to the Bulls for a resigned Gordon. Maybe they through in Perkins or Big Baby or something to make it work for the Bulls.
Though, like you... I'm not sure why Gordon would do that, unless he's sure he can get a better deal out there in 2009.
Does ESPN know that you stole their "E" for your logo?
I think this would be tough for Gordon to do because if another team bid on his services with a multi-year deal after this season, the Bulls would match it right away. He'd either have to re-sign a deal with the Bulls really quick or hope that no other team would go after him.
The whole "Gordon must start" line of thinking is a farce. He's playing as many, if not more, minutes as he did before, but now he's able to come off the bench and shoot whenever he wants. Whereas, in the starting lineup he's kind of forced to work the ball around to Hinrich, Deng, etc. So, by taking him out of the starting lineup, the Bulls are kind of giving him even more opportunities to score. In the 3 games he's come off the bench he's taken over 20 shots twice (67%). In the previous 26 games this season he only did it 6 times (23%).
Also, if you look at the past two seasons when the Bulls played reasonably well during the regular season, their 'second unit' routinely outscored the opposition. On good teams, this is the kind of stuff that happens.
Of course, it would be nice if the Bulls had a little better starting unit, but as long as Deng/Hinrich are producing, the Bulls can live with it.
The reason why Gordon didn't want to come off the bench before, and now, is because of how it correlates to the kind of contract offers he'll get in the future.
Tonight will be a good test to see what Charlotte does to the Bulls on the boards and on the break.