<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><font class="byline">By K.C. Johnson</font> <font class="titleline">Tribune staff reporter</font> <font class="date">November 1, 2007, 7:59 PM CDT</font> Only six members of the 2004 draft class signed contract extensions before Wednesday's deadline. Luol Deng and Ben Gordon weren't among them.</p> "I would have liked to have gotten something done," general manager John Paxson said. "But the system is what it is. We tried to work it from our end. They're using it to their advantage now. "Ben and Luol are going to play out this year and be restricted free agents next year. That's their right. From my end, you know how much I appreciate Luol and Ben for how much they've turned around this franchise and their work ethic and play and their dedication to the game." Paxson declined to comment on specific numbers, though both deals were known to be in the five-year, $50 million range. Paxson reiterated his consistent stance that the Bulls would match any offer either player receives as a restricted free agent. League sources said Gordon's camp mentioned signing next year's tender offer and becoming an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2009. Even then, the Bulls could pay Gordon more than any other team. "I'm not going to try to make us look good and anybody look bad in this thing," Paxson said. "Negotiations aren't always something that work out in the time frame you'd like. But we have the opportunity moving forward. I'll say it again and I say it all the time: Ben and Luol, I plan on having those guys here for a long, long time."</div></p> LINK</p>
Paxson was on CSN. He said he expects both Gordon and Deng to make HUGE leaps in their scoring. Mentioned that he expects Sefolosha, Tyrus, and Noah to do big things this year. Said that in order for this to be a championship core (no mention of Hinrich/Noch......) that those young guys need to step up.</p> He sounds like he wants to build this team around Gordon/Deng. Bring in other players around him if he begins conslidating players.</p> If it comes down to it, and Hinrich/Nocioni can get us Kobe...it'll be interesting to see what we can consolidate Tyrus/Noah/Sefo into. Trading for Kobe makes us even more win now. You'd be trading those guys for a big of course....Amare, Brand, Marion, Gasol, Okafor, JO are who you'd be looking at.</p> Sounds like Paxson's committed to keeping Deng/Gordon though. Not so sure about Hinrich anymore.</p>
