One Down, One To Go

I'm of two minds on Deng's new contract. On the one hand, the Bulls certainly couldn't afford to lose him, and having him sign the QO and then go through another year of uncertainty w/r/t to his status would have been pretty poisonous. That said, there's something to the argument Ira Winderman made the other day regarding Emeka Okafor:

If Emeka Okafor can get $12 million a year from Charlotte over six years, then better there than here. Question: Is Okafor a guaranteed All-Star, or might he go the entire $72 million without a single midseason berth? When you start spending near-max money on anything but elite talent, that's where you get into trouble.

Deng pretty much signed the same contract, and I think you could ask the same question about him. I think it's more likely that Deng will become a (semi-)regular All-Star than that Okafor will, but it's not a certainty either. This contract's much better than paying someone like Noce $7+ mil a year for what shouldn't be more than 20 minutes a night, but Deng has now got to bring it, every night, and in the clutch.

The corollary news is that the contract's size will make it tough to re-sign Ben Gordon, as the Bulls are now only $8 mil under this year's cap. Like BAB's Matt, I think losing Gordon would have disastrous consequences for the Bulls' offense, although I tend to agree with some of the commenters there that if some of the news reports are true that Gordon wants $13 to $15 mil. a year, he's dreaming. Monta Ellis' compensation seems right to me, about $11 mil. a year. That would be an improvement on the $10 mil. a year he was offered last year, which I think Ben was well within his rights to reject as slightly below his value.

My question is, is it legal under the cap for the Bulls to heavily backload a Gordon deal so that he gets around $8 mil or so for his first two years, and then gets roughly $14 mil. his last two years? That makes a lot of sense for the Bulls, as by the time those balloon payments come due, Larry Hughes' bloated deal will be long gone (and presumably Noce and/or Hinrich's contracts will have been dealt by then, as well). I checked the Online Salary Cap Bible and couldn't determine whether yearly increases or decreases have to be within certain percentages of the previous year, or whether ballooning contracts toward the front- or back-end is permitted. If it is, a heavily backloaded, 5-year, $55 mil. deal for Gordon strikes me as the most reasonable way to go. (Assuming he'd take it.)

Self-Flagellation

Not a post for 10 days, and when TYI does bring you something, it's about Drew Gooden losing his beard-growing bet to DeShawn Stevenson. (And the damn thing was already on True Hoop so you've probably seen it already anyway.)

In other news (via Blog-a-Bull), Ben Gordon appears to be considering 'pulling a Childress.' Doesn't seem too likely, but prepare for some non-linear, expletive-laced ranting if Paxson allows it to happen.

(Incidentally, the hardcase who posted this bit of news on Blog-A-Bull while bragging that he "plans to laugh his ass off" once the dollar starts to return to the Euro, should give up his self-satisfied plans for mirth-making and start reading Dean Baker.)

Phil Mickelson sucks

Ok, Gordon and Deng are screwed, so I’m waiting for Paxson to outbid himself any day now. Five years, $45 mil for Deng, three years $15 mil for Gordon. Screw them if their agents haven’t figured out that non-star players get screwed under the new CBA.

Dumars is on the verge of blowing up the Pistons, he knows they can’t compete with Boston and has to shake things up. The rumor that makes the most sense is trading Sheed. The Bratwurst has a trade in mind –

If Hammond pulls off a big deal for a power player (such as the Rasheed Wallace-Desmond Mason, Charlie V and Bell trade I’ve mentioned in the past) then it makes sense.

Which would make Milwaukee a 3-5 seed in my mind. No way Dumars does that deal though. Feels like something is gonna happen with the Bucks, no way Skiles plays Villy and now they have a log jam at the point with Mo Williams, Lue and Sessions.

Why don’t the Bucks try to swap Mo Williams for Haslem?

How about Hinrich for Haslem and then send Gooden to Milwaukee for Mason (expirer ) and a #1. The Bulls gain some cap space and add a solid 4 with a ring to the mix.

If the Bulls start Hinrich at the 2 next year I going to be pissed. How many starting two guards in the league can’t touch the rim? Another year of Hinrich being overmatched by guarding guys who have 3 inches and 40 pounds will be as fun as watching Obama punk McCain all summer and fall. Trade him!

Riles has got to move Haslem for a pg soon. Hinrich, Wade, Beasley, Marion and a center to be named later is a pretty damn good antidote to what the Celtics got.

p.s. Oh man, what a win by the Dawgs last nite. BenGo pitches a complete game and goes 6 for 6 at the plate.

Me thinks we need a Cookout to celebrate.

Packing It In

One down.

One to go.

Quote of the day

Matt on Duhon's departure.

Duhon gets praised as a 'pass-first' point guard. But he's not 'pass first'. He's 'ass first'. His most preferred style of play is to play like ass. Then pass, then shoot. Oftentimes never getting to that third one, crippling your offensive flow, and ticking me off.

Real talk, Matt. Real talk.

Ty Talk

In case you missed it, Scotter's breakdown of Tyrus' potential is not to be missed.

I don't have much to add, except to note that with Ty's appearance with Rose yesterday, and Pax's repeated assertions that he thinks Rose will make Tyrus a better player, it seems likely, contra K.C., that he will not be shopped.