...but I’ve been hating that trade since it happened. Matt and hscs keep telling me how stupid I am. I would like to know why, either from them or from Scotter, why there is a significant difference. I have some ideas why not, but I’d like to know from someone a lot smarter than me.

Management personnel decisions will continue to be questioned. Yet, JR and Gordon both provide about equal value on the court. No real surprise. I imagine Ben’s character is so outstanding he’s worth 8 million more to the Bulls?

I finally understand, many Bulls players are paid according to their character with little regard for players ability or production. (i.e Adrian Griffin ).

PaxsDorf seem to adopt my son’s modified jr high school slogan “Character Counts More, it’s only a Game” Their basketball record was 1 win 8 losses.

Now the challenge becomes avoid becoming the former GangsterPacers, former JailBlazers or the Present ChoirBulls and also win games.

J.R. Smith’s shot chart is really ugly, and it’s obvious he wouldn’t be as productive on a team that wasn’t so fast, and desperate for outside shots.

Forget that Gordon rebounds just as well as Smith or that Gordon is a more accomplished passer or that Gordon has a history of at least trying on defense and being average on that end of the floor. Forget that Smith is a very dumb basketball player. If we look at just scoring, Gordon is still a superior player.

Just looking at USG% and TS% isn’t enough in this case. You also have to look at roles they played offensively. Smith was never a primary option, and his shot mix reflects that. 57% of his FGA were 3PA and only 12% were 2P jump shots. He’s never had or developed any game in between the rim and the three point line. Smith is what he is just like Gordon. Neither are going to become much better at basketball. The difference is that Gordon can change his role making him a more effective player with the same abilities.

Gordon was the 1st offensive option on the team, while also being the most efficient player on the team. He was playing in an offensive that was designed to primarily generate open mid-range jump shots. Which meant that 52% of Gordon’s jump shots were from 2 point land and that he took far more unassisted and contested shots than Smith. If you slide Gordon from 1st option to 2nd or 3rd option and Gordon is not only taking more 3PA and fewer mid-range jump shots, but he’s taking more assisted shots making Gordon much more efficient. There’s no role change that Smith could undergo that would make him more efficient. Not all true shoot percentages are created equal.