I don't understand why people knock Gordon for his ability to score. Scoring is the most important part of basketball. Whoever ends up with the most points at the end of the game wins.
I got the opportunity to talk with Norm Stewart, and he was talking about how when he would go scout players and personnel from other schools would be there, they would be talking about the guys. He would ask the other coaches what they think about certain players. He said, he would often hear the other coaches and scouts say something like, "He's a nice kid. But all he can do is shoot. He can't dribble, he can't pass." Which Stewart said he would turn to his staff, "Get on this kid." He explained that it was because whoever has the most points on the scoreboard at the end of the game wins. You can never have enough guys that can shoot the basketball. Norm Stewart finished with a 731-375 record. He is in the Collegiate Hall of Fame.
The point being, if you can score, you have a place on the basketball team. I don't think anyone who looks critically at this, will think Ben is the problem with our defense. It's silly to blame him as it. The problem is the front court. They don't know how to lock up the paint and they give up too many second chance opportunities. If anyone here thinks that Ben is such an insurmountable defensive liability, then they will have to explain why we were the #1 defensive team in the NBA with Ben Gordon as a starter.
To me, I find it is scary to think of Ben Gordon not being on the Bulls. He's there best player right now. Most likely, he's not your best player going forward. If Rose becomes a superstar, Ben Gordon is just as much needed then as he is now. Same if the Bulls add Bosh or Stoudemire.
Yes, there are 20 some people ahead of Ben Gordon in PPG. But how many score like Gordon? Making a lot of three point shots leading to a high scoring efficiency? How many score in bunches to rally their team back into the ball game on a consistent basis? How many hit game tying and game winning shots? Not very many.
Two numbers jump out at me, as making it self evident as to why the Bulls would be crazy to not retain Gordon. The first number is 753 and the second number is 13.
The first number, 753, is the number of career three point field goals Ben Gordon has made. That makes him the greatest young three point shooter ever, as he recently broke the record for most three point shots made in the first five years of a players career. Did he just get it by chucking? Nope. Look at the guys in the top 100 on that list, and only two players, Hubert Davis and Mark Price had a higher three point percentage, and Gordon made more three pointers than both of those guys combined!
You don't get rid of this guy. Players generally become better three point shooters as they get older, so we can probably expect the same for Gordon.
The second number, 13, is the number of game winning shots that Gordon had made. What's that number good for? Third most amount of game winners made since he has entered the league. He is already half way there to breaking Jordan's mark of 25. If Gordon signed and played out a six year contract, he would be on pace to break that Bulls record by the end of his contract.
Ben Gordon is not a perfect player, but because of the skills he does bring, and the way he impacts the game with the timing of his scoring, he is a super valuable player. You don't let these guys go, you suck it up and take the luxury tax hit for one year if it is needed. It is imperative for the Bulls to re-sign Gordon, or get major value back in a trade for him.
