http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/55208/20081102/gordon_bulls_rebuffed_late_attempt_for_long_term_deal/
Sam Smith said basically the same thing, so it's pretty clear that Gordon wanted to sign and the Bulls pulled the plug.
What a gang of dopes. This has been one of the most botched contract negotiations I've born witness to. From the Bulls perspective: If you were willing to sign him for more last year, and for a particular amount 1 month ago, why pull the deal off the table? What is this? Kindergarten? From Gordon's perspective: I can't fault him for waiting until the last minute to try and get a better deal. OTOH, he is asking for more money than he's worth IMO. Ah well. At least Derrick Rose is really, really good!
I still don't get what all the fuss is about. If you look at the two best teams from last year, the lakers and the celtics, BG is no better than the fourth (Pierce, Allen, KG) or fifth best (Kobe, Gasol, Bynum, Odom) guy on either of those teams. He'd be a role player on either of those teams. So even if the Bulls sign him and assuming Rose is one of those guys, the bulls still need to go out and sign/develop two or three more guys better than BG if they are trying to win a championship. Maybe Deng is one, but I'm not convinced; maybe TT, but he's got a long way to go. So why would the bulls want to tie up money long term in a guy who isn't going to get them where they want to go and showed last year that he can't carry the team? And how can BG not recognize this? The fact that the Raymond brothers told the bulls to piss off with their "below market-value" offer without conferring with BG first is what bothers me. BG is being poorly represented.
