Ol' slowhand rears his calm head

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Sep 30, 2007 10:45 PM CDT in News Comment 21 comments

Oh, right, the two best players on the team aren't signed to extensions yet. With a month to go:

The deadline to get contract extensions done is Oct. 31, the day the Bulls open the regular season at New Jersey. Gordon and Deng -- the team's top scorers, respectively -- are most likely looking for more than the $47.5 million, five-year extension that the Bulls agreed to give Kirk Hinrich on deadline day last year.

Paxson's stance is that the team should get a salary discount on any extension agreed to now, given that the Bulls are offering long-term security for the players a year earlier than necessary.

''If we sign these guys to an extension, and this season they go out and have some catastrophic injury, they're still getting the money,'' Paxson said. ''I try to make it sound logical, but I don't know if it comes across that way. It's an extension; we feel like it's the one time in a contract negotiation that, for the security that they're going to get, we should get something in return. That doesn't mean that we're not going to talk about a great contract, because we are. But what I've found and learned through Kirk's deal last year is that we still have a month, which is a long time. When that deadline starts approaching, maybe something gets done. It's very easy for fans to sit back, even players, and say, 'Well, they should just do this.' I was a player. But I have great appreciation for this now being in this chair that it's a business.''

Hey, that's what I've been saying: they should just do this. Pax has rightfully labeled me as an impatient amateur, curse his handsome self.

If extensions aren't signed, I'm not as much concerned over the effect it'd have on each player, since I honestly don't think the players care that much who pays them. Any talk of being slighted or underappreciated will mean nothing if they just get the money from somebody, Pax or not. Their feelings won't be irreparably hurt if they don't get 'shown love' this season to where they wouldn't take an extension later.

But, dramatically more important, it'll have an effect on me, reading all season about Gordon and Deng's 'contract year' and each doing the Chauncey Billups "Gee it'd be nice to play in [insert opponent's team's city here]" bullshit. I don't think I can take it.

I said last month it seems like Deng's assured his place, while Gordon's is still iffy. But then you see a quote from Skiles' today singling out how great a summer Gordon had. I have to guess that all parties involved believe that the Bulls are committed to both players long-term, and thus will get extensions.

(Unless he's really not sure this core is enough, and wouldn't mind holding out on either and banking on a spectacular sign/trade deal next offseason. But that's far riskier proposition than a Chris Kaman scenario with these two. Even if Gordon and Deng get signed now and don't perform quite to the level they promise, they're both young enough to still be attractive trade assets.)

Pax downplays the problem of waiting, but why not save that future money? There's been preemptive hemming and/or hawing over the luxury tax already this offseason, and getting these deals done now (and therefore cheaper than next offseason) is the best way to manage your tax.

So I'll just take this Paxtalk as part of the wonderful world of contract negotiations. He's not going to say 'we can't lose these guys, no way'. Hurts the leverage. And apparently that means more to him than hurting my sanity. So here's to a month of back-and-forth through the media: crud.

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I think a deal will get done

simply because Gordon's and Deng's agents are going to look at how things went this year for restricted free agents and free agents, and realize there's not going to be a ton of teams around who can throw max contracts offer at them, or even contract offers of ore than 6 or 7 mill.

by KT on Oct 1, 2007 6:30 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

But the good news is...

that even though the waiting game might drive us all crazy, at least we have basketball again as a distraction. :)

I'm hoping this month isn't as bad as waiting on Kirk last year, just because we know how Pax intends to go about the process. I'd rather have things done now, too, but I don't think I'll freak out as bad this year when the "don't expect anything to get done" line starts creeping out.

"They had me do a psychology test and I asked Coach Skiles if that affected his coaching. He laughed and said, `No way.'" (Joakim Noah)

by wjb1492 on Oct 1, 2007 9:50 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Ben has said

in the past he wants to stay a Bull so we'll see how much he really means that. I think Pax will be fair with both Deng and Gordon. It depends on whether or not Lu and BG think Pax is fair. I hope they get it done and don't wait til the last minute like last year with Kirk.

Only 8 more days til a preseason game. :)

by sue369 on Oct 1, 2007 10:06 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Players seem

to always say they wanna be on their respective teams for the rest of their careers, unless they are those disgruntled superstars

by Option27 on Oct 1, 2007 11:23 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

One thing to remember...

Neither of these guys will walk for nothing in return. Pax talked about not wanting to lose an asset in Nocioni this summer without getting anything in return, and Gordon and Deng are obviously even greater assets than Noc. Even if things don't happen this year, the Bulls are still in control. The worst thing that could happen is that a team forces them to match a ridulously high offer.

Speaking of which, I hope $110 million for 6 years for Rashard Lewis doesn't play a big role in negotiations, especially with Deng. That contract was just stupid. The Bulls overpaid for Tyson a couple of years ago because the 76ers gave a bonehead contract to Samuel Dalembert. I like the neighborhood of Chauncey Billups contract, 5 years, $60 million for each of these guys. I would think Deng would be a little higher.

by MMP on Oct 1, 2007 10:45 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

big offers

Not many teams are under the cap next year:

Charlotte, Atlanta, Philly, maybe Seattle...and all those teams have their own FAs to worry about.

Maybe M-Jeff will make a big offer to his protege Gordon, heh.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Oct 1, 2007 10:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Regarding this post

Here is an interesting article on how the Ben Gordon contract can effect the Bulls/Kobe situation

Most interesting part of the article is the trade proposal Mike Mcgraw thinks up, which to me makes perfect sense . . . .

From the article . .

If Bryant trade talks ever become legitimate, here are a few things the Bulls aren't likely to do: Include Deng with Gordon in any trade, pay a hefty amount of luxury tax or even give up Thomas or Noah, since they'd have no means to replace the young big men.

There are combinations that meet the criteria and work under salary-cap rules if Bryant waived his trade kicker. The Bulls would need to add another large contract (like Andres Nocioni's) to avoid the luxury tax, since Ben Wallace is unlikely to leave.

Gordon, Nocioni, Thabo Sefolosha, Joe Smith, plus first-round picks galore, for example, could be done after Dec. 15. Not great for the Lakers, sure, but an argument could be made that it's better than what Minnesota received for Garnett.

by Option27 on Oct 1, 2007 11:36 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

that is a crap package for L.A.

But you're right, the point remains: If Gordon gets an extension he becomes a poison pill contract and it's much harder to trade.

Paxson may be holding out on Gordon for that very long longshot.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Oct 1, 2007 11:41 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nocioni's a BYC contract this year as well

so that further complicates matters.

by your friendly BullsBlogger on Oct 1, 2007 12:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It is crappy for LA

but like the article said, you can make an arguement that it's better than what Minnesota got for KG

by Option27 on Oct 1, 2007 12:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

All this talk about Deng and Gordon

but what about Viktor. He's up for an extension this summer, too.

Nocioni-Khryapa in '08

by bullshooter on Oct 1, 2007 11:48 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Good point

Someone's gotta spin the towels and scream in Russian!

Get that out of Tyrus' House!!!!

by cubbybear on Oct 1, 2007 5:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Anyone else

see BG on Oprah today? I thought I read that it was a show on some of the best dressed men but it wasn't.

by sue369 on Oct 1, 2007 6:41 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I'll see it later

it repeats here at 9:30.

I read that it was on men's health. I wondered why they wanted BG.

by KT on Oct 1, 2007 7:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It is

on men's health. He asks a question on nutrition.

by sue369 on Oct 1, 2007 8:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

that's it?

just a question? I'm so underwhelmed. But I'll still take a look.

by KT on Oct 1, 2007 8:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yep,

one question. Oprah doesn't even talk to him. The whole show is Dr. Oz.

by sue369 on Oct 1, 2007 8:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

thank Skiles

the question came halfway through the show. And wasn't about erectical dysfunction.

by KT on Oct 1, 2007 10:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

LOL!

How embarrassing for Oprah's camera man huh? :-)

by sue369 on Oct 2, 2007 6:03 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Critical

I might suggest that the most critical aspect of this entire thread is that the moniker "SlowHand" may actually be gaining traction. When used by no less that Our Man Matt, it would seem that my championing (is that even a word?) of it may be bearing fruit. Woo Hoo!
As for the other, secondary, points being made here. I would believe that Deng and Gordon almost have to be signed. Paxson went out of his way to sign a lesser player in Nocioni. If one or, dear god, both of The Two were not resigned, I would have to assume that Paxson is confident about making a better deal next summer. Given his trading acumen, that would still allow me to hold out hope.
By the way, thanks Matt for the title. That sent me all the way back to the old site when my nom de plume was the lame "Tom" and not the bitchin' hijacking of a ZuangZian character study.

"...Keeping 'SlowHand' alive since aught-five"

by CookDing on Oct 2, 2007 9:39 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

yup. both of them have to be signed

otherwise, Paxson will go through another ridiculous year of deng and gordon for some aging superstar. Seriously, the reason the KG trade didn't go down is that still being on their first contract the Two were WAAAAAY undervalued for their level of production. on top of that, they are young too. I believe they'll get them a good contract, befitting their work ethic.

by brianmita on Oct 2, 2007 8:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs