for some reason that doesn’t sound right or worth repeating at this point in time.

The organization drafted Derrick Rose instead of high scoring Michael Beasley… For a specific reason
they must have felt Kirk was not worthy of even the less money he took back then?

How could I have missed that!

Well, if I were running the show, I’d quit letting past mistakes poison the future. I’d simply offer Deng and Gordon legitimate deals based on what I think it would take to keep them, and I’d plug away at moving Nocioni and Hinrich this season to get under the luxury tax threshold and bring in some help.

Deng is fairly easy, I think. It’s overpaying him a bit, but I don’t think we’ll completely regret it or anything by paying him 6/$75M. If we’d made that offer 3 weeks ago instead of offering less than we had before while other teams were talking about more, I think we’d have him under contract already. In fairness I dind’t think Deng would command that a few weeks ago, but it’s clear now that there are several teams (here and abroad) that can would will pay the man if he becomes available. The Bulls, unlike me, have known that for a while (or should) and are still pussy footing around. That’s $10M this season.

Monta Ellis just got 6/$66M. Without considering salary, would you rather have him or Gordon? Ellis is younger and has looked more productive to me. I also don’t think as many teams are lining up to pay Gordon as would line up to pay Deng. That makes him a harder decision to me. I don’t really want to commit long-term, but I need him now.

I offer 2 years and $21M, with a team option for a 3rd year for another $11M. If that fails, I’m not quite sure what I’d do. I think I’d offer a bit less over the long run. I think I’d give the Hawks (Josh Smith), Sixers (Jason Smith, Willie Green) and Bobcats (Okafor, JRich?) calls and explore trades. I wouldn’t feel too good about that though, but I don’t see a lot of other options at this point.

If we lock up Deng and Gordon as I’d be cautiously optimistic of doing, we’d end up being about $2.5M over the luxury tax threshold. We have until the end of the year to get under by various means. I’d try, in any case:

1. Kirk Hinrich ($10M) for Al Harrington ($9.2M) to balance out the roster. Start Gooden at C unless Noah really and truly beats him out. Gooden/Harrington/Deng/Gordon/Rose start with Hughes/Thabo/Tyrus/Noah the prime backups.

2. Try like hell to move Noc. Something like Noc ($8M) to Denver for Steven Hunter ($4M) using trade exceptions would likely still keep Nuggets a bit under the lux tax and get us under too. That’s one idea anyway.

I got lucky and won the lottery for the 1st pick, I’m the GM of the Chicago Bulls, the season is over and now I need to clear 3.5 million because of this rookie Rose so my plan would work (Deng&Gordon) and I have approximately 9 months to cut my budget by 3.5 million before luxury tax eats my boss alive? Big Deal, improvise, this is managable.

He clearly didn’t front load the contracts so he would have enough space. Front-loading the contracts reduced the space we’d have available.

It’s true that a lesser pick than Rose would save a bit over $3M or so, but at the same time, I don’t think we should obsess over the particular $3.5M number.

The fact is, the Bulls might have to pay more than the $21M I mentioned to keep our guys. So they’d be over the tax threshold anyway.

Which, again, sort of gets to the point. If the Bulls are really that hyper-focused about avoiding the tax (and there’s plenty of evidence to think so at this point), they would have been better off keeping salaries low.

Granted, front-loading Kirk alone wouldn’t have been as much of an issue if they’d simply let Noc walk or managed to engineer a sign and trade for a future pick last year.

but doesn’t Kirk have a clause in his contract that if he is traded he gets a certain percentage increase in his pay as a result? For the life of me I can’t find the earlier blog that was mentioned on. There are so many “what should happen to Kirk” posts in the last few months. Anyway, that would effect his tradability.

As far as the front loading vs back loading thing I think a lot of people were originally please with the front loading. And for what it is worth, how would have back loading it helped either at this point? The only thing that would have cleared up room for Deng/Gordon is if they moved Noc or Kirk or had the foresight to not pay them as much across the board in the first place. At this place front loading is just a symptom in the larger problem of signing Deng and Gordon.

Is front loading practiced by any other club? When a practice isn’t replicated its a strong indicator that it’s not all that great.

I’d send you the numbers if I had some contact info. I don’t see an email hear, but you can send me a PM via my site if you want (I’m MikeDC over there). I need to update them again this weekend with the new signings anyway, and I’ll send you a copy.