not only know that the Bulls are for profit but that they are making a league record of profit and have been for a long time despite no results on the floor. That’s why some would think their fixation on the tax is a bit ridiculous. They are quibbling over a hand full of millions when they churn such a profit. How about they put some extra money into the team and see if that gets us anywhere. I am not talking NY sized over charge. If we know we are pushing for a three year plan with Rose then I am fine with them going over a bit. Because it is just a few million here or there for a business where that is just a blip in the budget. If they were not for profit that million would be a big deal. So it is kind of the opposite.

Also, the same people that claim the Bulls are right for quibbling over those few millions are the ones saying Gordon should not quibble over the millions that were off in his expectations. Apparently a few million mean a lot to the Bulls and a lot to Gordon.

most sports teams don’t operate with a year-to-year profit. They’re the playthings for millionaires, and their investment gets paid off by the increase of franchise value.

I believe the Bulls were one of only a few teams in the whole league that turned an operating profit.

Why take Marion’s contract in for Gordon? OF COURSE THE HEAT WOULD DO THAT!

is fist pumping from another hemisphere.

Gordon pressing will cause a distraction. We already went through ‘Kobe-Trade-gate’ last year.

the worst thing is to have no talent

those sweet apples have a worm living in the middle :-)

name me those that are definitively better than Gordon, will not be over 30 by the time 2011 comes around and the Bulls have a realistic shot of acquiring.

That lists consists of what? Two, three players at most?

with peanut butter. In fact, sweet apples with peanut butter don’t taste very good. Sour is the way to go.

even strictly speaking offensively

stalled. He’ll try the market next year. If the market was bad this year why should he let it lock him into a long term contract? Next year could be completely different.

The house analogy is precious. I called the Tribune and you are now the beat writer for the Bulls!!! Excellent take on this!!

we’d pay him 15 million per season.

Or he is a perfect fit next to Rose. Then the Bulls will have been played.

I currently have my house on the market. I am about to lower the price, just like you said. But I do have one other option. I can rent my house out for 1 year and hope that after the election and the financial bailout that our economy returns to normal and banks start lending again. If so, my house could potentially not only sell much faster, but for much more than I am asking now. Is there a risk that the bailout doesn’t work and the market still sucks next year? Of course, but there is a good chance that it could all turn around. I believe this is exactly what Ben thinks. OK, I think I’m worth X, but there aren’t any teams this off season that really need me that have the money. If I take the one year QO, there is a decent chance that the market gets better. Is there risk involved? Yes! But Ben obviously thinks it is worth the risk.

I thought you got banned or something while I wasn’t looking. Turns out you just spent your summer doing better things than rehash the Gordon issue. Good for you.

unless i completely read that wrong, i think you are sort of implying that the bulls are gonna try to come up with a better offer for gordon next year after examining him and value vs the market. I think this idea was proposed before too, but after we gained more knowledge of how the qo works, it was decided that the plan was way risk-ay. Perhaps during that long night together on wednessday the bulls and gordon came to a conclusion that was something like, if gordon bounced back better than ever in the upcoming season, the bulls would make room both in capspace and on the roster for gordon, and give him what he deserves.

I wouldnt put this decision past paxson, he afterall, sent khrapy home by buying out his contract. It sure did piss viktor off that he did nothing in the nba, but paxson to me seemed like a real nice guy for doing something like that. I think if gordon really wanted to remain a bull, he might just agree to such a deal, while at the same time telling the bulls that if he got a better offer while he was in free agency he wouldnt hesitate to take it.

I think the ball is now completely in the bulls court, its up to them to figure out if gordon works long term, if he does, then they have to clear the logjam both financially and roster wise. Gordon gets to go into this season and put everything he has on the table…he does want to win afterall…and he can decide where he wants to go next offseason. I can see this being benneficial for both parties actually…but maybe im the only one.

And knew he’d take the QO and will offer him big money next summer to keep him.

I’m hoping here!

with you last point. Perhaps the market changed, or the value of BG changed. I’d argue a little of both.

I still don’t see a big picture plan here, and that’s my real concern. Signing BG to a long term deal just because it’s his time would be pointless. That’s not to say I agree with the way Pax handled this summer. But until the Bulls develop a plan, I’d don’t mind the lack of a long term commitment. I don’t see a future successful team with Rose, BG, and Hinrich as the top 3 guards (not to mention the $25mil or so a year they’d be earning). Hughes’s contract complicates things some.

In an ideal world, the Bulls would have found a reasonable sign and trade for Gordon. I like him, but I recognize his limitations and don’t think he’s “worth” more than the MLE, or in this case the QO, to the current version of the Bulls.

(I’m kinda all over the place here, but it’s the first time I’ve given serious thought to the Bulls in a while. I’ll think about them even more next week when I get my season tickets.)

When he’s standing next to Kirk during games he looks to be just a little bit shorter than Kirk.

Why do you not learn? It’s one thing to have differing opinions on things. It’s completely another to be wrong on facts. There are people who invested millions upon millions of dollars in Gordon who measured him at just over 6’2" in shoes.