1) I’m not mad that BG left, it was somewhat expected and he was due for his payday. Plus, he’s a $7-$8.5 million dollar super-6th man in my opinion, not a $11 million per year starter. HOWEVER, I am extremely pissed to see him go to the hated Pistons. Completely ruins all of my good memories of him. Fuck him.
2) On the other hand, this move, coupled with their signing of another notorious shot-chucker, forward Charlie Villanueva, makes me absolutely giddy. Gone are the days of beautiful half-court sets orchestrated by Billups. With Villanueva/BG getting big money, they have to start, and get their shots, and I’m not sure 3rd year point guard Rodney Stuckey is going to be able to distribute shots accordingly.
3) They still have Rip Hamilton at SG also, creating a log-jam of talent at the position. Also, Hamilton’s 5 yr-50million extension he signed last year kicks in as of today. So now Detroit has 2 SG’s making 10 million plus? Meaning Rip MUST be traded to create space for BG, meaning Detroit will be trading from a weakened position because teams know they have no leverage in trade negotiations since one of these guys (Rip) must go, meaning not only has Detroit killed all that precious cap space they accumulated, they’ve also killed their team for the immediate future. We can write them off as contenders until at least 2012. Thanks guys!
El Rio, my thoughts exactly. All the Pistons have to do now is lure Dantoni from the Knicks and play run and gun. I don’t get the infatuation with Ben Gordon. He is a fantastic 6th man, but not worth $11MM per year.
It’s possible that the East will be far weaker next year and a team like the Bulls or Hawks could take it if they make a few good moves. I see Shaq on the Cavs as being a total disaster and I’m not sold on Vince Carter with the Magic, though he might surprise us and actually play hard a little bit. Meanwhile, the Celtics may be too old, though I bet they have one more year left to make a run.
My attitude on Ben Gordon is don’t let the door hit you on the way out. Yeah, he could have hot streaks, but just as often, he would shoot the bulls chances for winning right out of the gym!
My attitude on Ben Gordon is don’t let the door hit you on the way out. Yeah, he could have hot streaks, but just as often, he would shoot the bulls chances for winning right out of the gym!
Gordon certainly had his SHORT-comings (pun intended), but he’s been their best, most dynamic scorer, and he will be sorely missed. Watching him trade big shots with Ray Allen in last year’s playoffs was a sight to behold.
Yes, $55M is a lot, perhaps too much, but the Bulls got NOTHING in return. Paxson sat on his hands with his “little engine that could” team, failed to make a trade for a big man or trade from his glut of guards, to either get something in return for Gordon, or get something for Hinrich and make keeping Gordon easier. Unless another move is made (I’m not holding my breath with this risk-averse management team), the Bulls right now are decidedly worse than they were last year.
Gordon certainly had his SHORT-comings (pun intended), but he’s been their best, most dynamic scorer, and he will be sorely missed. Watching him trade big shots with Ray Allen in last year’s playoffs was a sight to behold.
Yes, $55M is a lot, perhaps too much, but the Bulls got NOTHING in return. Paxson sat on his hands with his “little engine that could” team, failed to make a trade for a big man or trade from his glut of guards, to either get something in return for Gordon, or get something for Hinrich and make keeping Gordon easier. Unless another move is made (I’m not holding my breath with this risk-averse management team), the Bulls right now are decidedly worse than they were last year.
Ben Gordon is an asshole. John Paxson offered him this same contract two years running, and he didn’t take it. Not only that, but he didn’t let the Bulls counteroffer this year, which tells me that he either A) didn’t want to be here or B) didn’t want to come off the bench behind Salmons and Derrick Rose.
So, what did Paxson get in return? $55 million he can spend on someone else!
And, being a .500 team during the Gordon era doesn’t necessarily inspire one to go max contract on the guy. Ben, don’t let the door hit you on the way out indeed.
You’re assuming they’ll actually spend that $55M wisely and get an impact player. If it happens, I’ll agree that this was a good move.
Even if they don’t spend it until next year, I’m fine with that. Ben turned that amount down twice and took it from the Pistons? I don’t understand that. If Ben wanted to be a Bull, he’d be one. I can’t blame this on Pax this time.
“As far as the organization giving me my respect, I really don’t know what they thought of me.When you go through the negotiations I’ve gone through, the writing is kind of on the wall.”
Gordon reportedly rejected $50 million offers from the Bulls the last two summers. Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said Gordon’s agent Raymond Brothers wanted to accept the five-year, $50 million offer last summer after initially rejecting it, but the Bulls decided it was too late and took the offer off the table.
Ben didn’t want to come back here. He took the same money from the Pistons. Fuck him.
