he signed on the day of first game of that season

signed on the last day possible.

...two years before he could be an UFA.

and i’m going to be pissed if he walks.

that said, i’m kind of glad he’s taking a no bullshit route. after all, the organization decided they would NOT negotiate last year, so i appreciate that he’s showing he’s got the control. everyone’s been talking about the leverage the bulls have… well. doesn’t seem like they got too much of it now.

from reading it, it seems to be more a reinsdorf world.
why cant he just focus on the sox and leave the bulls alone?

i can’t believe the NBA is now losing talent to the Euro League. I blame W. Bush.

... then we might not see Omer Asik in two years after all…

If you retain your US citizenship, only the first $80k or so earned overseas is tax free.
Even if you renounce your citizenship, the IRS still keeps tabs for ~10 years in case you decide to come back.

While there are advantages to be had by those paying Euros, not paying Uncle Sam is not one of them.

If the Bulls are idiotic enough to hold a grudge at the expense of getting better, Deng would be smart to get out ASAP. He could go somewhere else for one year and be one of the second-tier guys in the summer of 2010. Whenever teams save up cap space to spend it, and then don’t land that big star, there is always someone willing to overpay for that second-tier guy. If he can threaten that, why wouldn’t the Bulls do a sign-and-trade if it helps them, too?

best player is then, if Deng’s just our best stat stuffer?

and hate to point out the obvious but despite the obvious positional differences, Luol is NO MJ and BG is NO Pip…

If Deng and Gordon had even NBA Finals experience right now, – not even a title – they’d have legitimate gripes to the Bulls for rich, long-term deals.

that jordan had to threaten to retire in order to be paid fairly.

...I believe that’s why I (and I think Matt and maybe others) aren’t so eager to take this hard-line stance in these negotiations such as saying: ”$10 million is reasonable and not a penny more!!!” If they let Deng and Gordon go for lesser value (which they would, why else would they other team be doing it?), you’re pinning ALL the hopes on Thomas and Rose. What if Thomas doesn’t quite develop into that All-Star? What if Rose takes a little bit longer and isn’t so great after only two years? Why do these hard-liners assume that Wade, Bosh or James (or anyone else) would want to come to Chicago considering that there will be plenty of other teams w/ cap space?

As matt always says: Teams do not get better by letting their two best players, both under the age of 25, leave.

though deng actually WAS offered for kg.

but still, good point. last year was a “take it or leave it” offer because they claimed that they weren’t worried about negotiating this year instead. and now look where we are.

are they the core of the team, or aren’t they?

I get the hangup on ‘overpaying’. But overpaying Deng and Gordon is not the same as overpaying Nocioni.

why a 3 year deal that fucks up the chance of having cap space in 2010? Why not a 2 year deal?

Reinsdorff drew his line in the sand, according to JC comment a week ago, at Not Going to Match last years rejected Offer, and of course Denger and Gordo agents have to prove their worth by getting at LEAST the max offer from last year. As we know, the Dorfer doesn’t back down in these kind of situations. Which is why a three year deal is all that is presently being discussed. So, all that Pax stuff about getting these contracts out of the way to allow needed follow up moves, was wishful thinking….and now, it’s down to just how much face the Dorfer will demand, before he agrees. Which puts the lie to our hopes that there was a “plan” working towards what’s best for team, as opposed to just more Dorfer “deal making”, which means, Dorfer feeling like he “won”. I feel abused again, but should have known better after coaching hire bizarro just a short time ago. It ain’t what Pax wants that counts.

it sounds simple, but I guess that makes me simple, or at least worn down by the constant talk of ‘overpaying’, and ‘value’. These are the core guys on the team, you can’t throw them away. Sign/trades will get the Bulls nothing as good….merely not nothing.

“You get a bonafide offer and we will match it ” Folks it is July 22 and so far nothing. This includes Europe and sign and trade deals. If Deng/Gordon are so good why doesn’t one of the other 29 teams step up to the plate. Maybe the Noc deal has pushed away interest. Maybe some of it they just plain aren’t worth the 12-14 mil they are asking for.

This is retarded. This is retarded:

(in profits :-P)