Jerry Reinsdorf on Ben Gordon

[PJ Brown]

??? ?????? wrote:

And the thing about Miami balking at Gordon's contract demands is bull crap. It came from an employee of the Bulls.

Miami didn't go on a recruiting trip to Miami with Riley, Arison, and Wade for no reason. Dwyane Wade wasn't publicly telepathing to Gordon to take the qualifying offer for no reason.

Simply put, if the economic crisis didn't happen, Ben would be a member of the Heat.

That's absolutely false. About the Heat offer, we've been through this before. Find me one source that says outright the Heat were offering Gordon as much or more than the Bulls offer that was on the table. Lastly, if the Heat were so dead set on Gordon, why didn't they try for him this year? Even then, I agree with Shakes, that if it were true about them wanting to pay him, and it's not, we weren't going to pull a whole lot more out of the Gordon trade than other '09 or '10 ending deals. It's not like we missed out on a superstar in a S/T.

I admit this is not the most important part of the issue. If the Bulls really wanted to get it done with Gordon, they would have. They didn't. JR never wanted to pay Gordon, or at least it wasn't a priority. It was an inconvenient coincidence for both parties that the Bulls offer for Gordon last summer happened to be far and away the best offer he had.

 

[??? ??????]

PJ Brown wrote:

??? ?????? wrote:

And the thing about Miami balking at Gordon's contract demands is bull crap. It came from an employee of the Bulls.

Miami didn't go on a recruiting trip to Miami with Riley, Arison, and Wade for no reason. Dwyane Wade wasn't publicly telepathing to Gordon to take the qualifying offer for no reason.

Simply put, if the economic crisis didn't happen, Ben would be a member of the Heat.

That's absolutely false. About the Heat offer, we've been through this before. Find me one source that says outright the Heat were offering Gordon as much or more than the Bulls offer that was on the table. Lastly, if the Heat were so dead set on Gordon, why didn't they try for him this year? Even then, I agree with Shakes, that if it were true about them wanting to pay him, and it's not, we weren't going to pull a whole lot more out of the Gordon trade than other '09 or '10 ending deals. It's not like we missed out on a superstar in a S/T.

I admit this is not the most important part of the issue. If the Bulls really wanted to get it done with Gordon, they would have. They didn't. JR never wanted to pay Gordon, or at least it wasn't a priority. It was an inconvenient coincidence for both parties that the Bulls offer for Gordon last summer happened to be far and away the best offer he had.

The Heat "didn't try" to get Gordon this year, because they didn't have the pieces to get anything done. The Bulls weren't going to agree to a sign and trade, short of getting Wade or Beasley back in return, which obviously would never happen, as any other trade would put the Bulls in the luxury tax, and send back subpar talent.

The Heat were planning on having cap space to sign Gordon outright this summer. But instead of the cap growing it shrunk, eliminating Miami's projected cap space.

I'm sure the Heat were one of those 19 teams who called Gordon's agent with an MLE offer, and saying they'd try to work out a sign and trade if possible. An MLE offer was just no match for what Detroit offered.

 

[??? ??????]

I'd also like to point out that Jerry Reinsdorf flat out lied in this interview.

Here is John Paxson addressing the media the day before the deadline for Ben to sign a contract.

Well as of right now, we’ve talked to Raymond Brothers again today. We’re still seeing if there is a way to come to some resolution, so, I will be talking to Raymond after I get out of here. It’s going to be one thing or the other. Ben has until Wednesday to sign the qualifying offer, so he has that option, and until then we can talk and try to see if there is any common ground. It’s still is where it’s been all summer, right now. We’ll see.

Like I said the other day, as of right now, we have anticipated that Ben would sign the qualifying offer. And with that said, he is still a very valuable member of our team. My opinion, it’s just always hard when you have a player that you like as much as I like Ben, and we as an organization like Ben. When it comes to negotiating a deal, you have a difference of opinion, is what it’s come down to money wise. But it doesn’t, in my opinion doesn’t lessen his value to us and us trying to win basketball games.

http://dabullz.com/2008/09/30/john-paxson-press-conference-transcript/

You are not going to sell me that John Paxson was for moving on with Ben on the qualifying offer. Paxson was probably giddy when Gordon came back wanting to take the offer.

This stinks of a Reinsdorf decision. Maybe Gar Forman was involved too, but Jerry shouldn't be dragging Paxson's name in the mud to defend himself, which I think he is clearly doing here, by deflecting blame on Paxson...when all evidence points to Paxson wanting to work something out with Gordon.

 

[Shakes]

Or it could be Paxson was the one lying to the media. I see no reason to automatically assume that because JR's statement doesn't totally line up with Paxson's that JR is the liar.