Ben Gordon Returns To Chicago & I Want Him To Fail

Ben Gordon chucking up shots on one end of the court and ball-handlers blowing past him on the other end.

It's a sight Bulls fans are all-too-familiar with.  But this time, Gordon will not be wearing the familiar red, white and black.  Instead, it will be in the uniform of the hated Detroit Pistons.

And that's even if he plays.  Gordon has been sidelined with  a nagging ankle injury, but I'm pretty sure he'll find a way to suit up against his former employer.

BG7 has been getting his with Detroit, averaging 19.8 points per game, but his 3-point field goals, 3-point field goal percentage, overall field goal percentage and free-throw percentage have all seen significant hits.  Meanwhile, the Pistons are 6-11.  The Bulls are 6-9, but have already cleared their biggest hurdle of the year with the Circus Trip in the team's rear-view mirror.

The Bulls have missed Gordon in some aspects of the game.  Ask any Bulls fan what they think the team needs and they'll answer with one of two things.  A post presence on the offensive end and a go to scorer on the perimeter.

Gordon fits the latter.

We're still young in the season, and if Gordon goes out and drops 30 on Chicago in a Detroit win, it won't be long until he becomes the Bulls version of Mark DeRosa.

Except you can't wish him well upon exiting the United Center.  Not only does he play within the Eastern Conference, he plays within the division, he plays in the Eastern Conference.  That means every game-winner he hits could also affect the Bulls' playoff positioning.

So, as much as I wanted the former No. 3 overall pick to succeed in Chicago is as much as I want to see him fail in Detroit.

Do you want Ben Gordon to fail with the Pistons?

• Yes, I'm a Bulls fan that despises Detroit
• No, I love Ben Gordon

Created on Dec 2, 2009

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poll by twiigs.com

This Alexis Rios For Ben Gordon Trade Already Haunting The Bulls

Pictured above is the last image Chicago Bulls fans saw of the Ben Gordon era in Chicago.  You can name a million (or $55 million) reasons why it ended.  And for some odd reason, I will always point to Jerry Reinsdorf and his love for baseball.


As much as Bulls fans heard about how much better the defense was going to be, the knowledgeable Chicago fan knew that was code for "our offense is going to struggle at times, so bear with us."  It was made clear that Gordon's shoddy defense and questionable shot selection were the two reasons he wouldn't be brought back to the Bulls.

For $3.7 million more over the same time span, Reinsdorf's Chicago White Sox will employ a center fielder who is making Ben Gordon money without Ben Gordon's production.

For what critics say about Gordon's shot selection, baseball fans can say about Rios' eye at the plate.  You can praise Rios' versatility and defensive prowess in the same breath you can chat up BG7's big shot making reputation.

At least you could always count on Gordon to shoot about 43 percent from the field and 41 percent from beyond the arc.  As for Rios, what's so inspiring about a .199/.229/.301/.530 line?  Don't worry, I'll be eagerly awaiting your answer in the comments section.

To this day, I can't believe the Bulls couldn't find money in the coffers for Gordon, the team's leading scorer.  Remember when Chicago paid hefty salaries for Eddie Robinson and Ron Mercer?  And for what?  Obscure references to Robinson's headbands and Mercer's career at Kentucky?

What I will say next will sound familiar to Cubs fans.

Mr. Reinsdorf, if you're not all in with both of your franchises, one has got to go.  It would be like if a parent bought one child designer clothes while shopping at Wal Mart for the other child.  Imagine telling your son or daughter, "Honey, your big brother/sister is getting the Gucci outfit. But maybe when 2010 rolls around, you can get one too."

For years, the Cubs were managed by a corporation that had different agendas.  Agenda No. 1 was its newspaper, which later became its fledgling newspaper.  Agenda No. 2 was making money off the newspaper and baseball team.  Agenda No. 3 was to make as much money as possible from the baseball team to make ends meet -- baseball team be damned.

So now I sit here with Reinsdorf on my mind.  Mr. "I'd Trade My Six NBA Titles For One World Series Title" and a team that clearly needs help.  Jerry, you got your World Series ring.  Can the basketball team go back to being great again?

I want you to look at the Bulls' two losses.

The game against Boston was a laugher.  The Celtics owned that game from the second quarter on.  It was a combination of Boston having really good talent on the court and the Bulls not having a defense to counter it.  And guess what?  Gordon was nowhere to be seen in Boston.  The days of placing poor defensive efforts on Gordon's shoulders are over.

Then there's that choke of a game against Miami.  You want to impress Dwyane Wade to come home and team with Derrick Rose in what would be among the most dynamic backcourt duos in the NBA?  Losing 95-87 isn't going to help at all.  Especially when Wade sees his future teammates slacking on the defensive end leaving a 3-point sniper like Quentin Richardson open from beyond the arc.  Heck, Chicago's "D" reminded Bulls fans of how the Heat won the NBA title a few years ago, hitting mid-range jump shots of D-Wade penetration.

So if you want someone to blame when the Bulls miss out on a playoff spot, head over to 35th & Shields when April comes around.  And while you're on the South Side, go pick up some Harold's Chicken.  It will help take your mind off the fact that you spent $15 just to boo the hell out of Alex Rios in a park full of fans eagerly awaiting the opportunity to cheer when the Cubs lose.

I digress.

And who was taking the big shots for the Bulls down the stretch?  Kirk Hinrich.  Luol Deng.  John Salmons.  Maybe if we were on campus and you asked me, "Ludameister, Hinrich/Deng is getting the ball down the stretch with your beloved Salukis/Tar Heels up by one in the last 10 seconds. How do you feel about this?"  I would probably respond with a brief prayer to the college basketball gods and hope for a miracle.

Guess what?  This isn't college anymore.  Hinrich is a more than serviceable sixth man, Salmons is nothing more than a role player and Deng is trying to rebuild what was once a lock to be an All-Star career.  Derrick Rose can't do it all by himself.  It's just not possible.

Gordon's bad shot selection is the same poor shot selection made by Salmons and Hinrich yesterday, but they get a pass for being grinders.  Somewhere, David Eckstein and Ryan Theriot nod in approval while spooning on a couch somewhere in the land of vertically challenged middle infielders.

And, no, I'm not overreacting.  For the next 78 games, the Bulls will be playing without a go-to-guy in the guts of the game unless something drastically happens before the trade deadline.

There is little doubt in my mind that Wade is the kind of player Chicago needs to grab in the offseason.  If not, Bulls fans will miss Ben Gordon a little bit more as each game passes.

Let's make a deal ... a bad one. No, two bad ones.

Joe Dumars better hope that Rip Hamilton is looking towards Utah. A trade for Carlos Boozer would help both teams and make up for Dumars early mistake.

Imagine you have $20 million to spend on NBA players such as Hedo Turkoglu, Trevor Ariza, Lamar Odom, Shawn Marion, Paul Millsap and Ron Artest. 

Now imagine you took that $20 million and signed Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva to long-term deals that combine to about $98 million. And now Plax yourself. 

Don't get me wrong, both Gordon and Villanueva are both very good basketball players. Gordon can shoot the lights out at times and comes through in clutch situations. Villanueva is a 6-foot-10 forward that can handle the ball like a shooting guard and stretch the defense. 

The problem is Gordon is undersized, which causes him to have more cold nights than one would like. And since he doesn't play much defense, he is pretty much useless when his shot is off. Villanueva, as stated before, is 6'10". But his rebounding is often invisible and his low-post defense is non-existent. 

So there you have it Pistons fans. A $98 million rebuilding process brings you two players with a lot of good skills and absolutely no chance of making a team an immediate contender. Patience is a virtue and Joe Dumars clearly did not have it. He could have tried to pursue other options in this free agency period, or better yet, signed just one of the players between Gordon and Villanueva and saved the rest for next summer for the top-quality talent that will be available. 

And while Dumars has made some terrible financial decisions this summer, all is not lost. Word has it the Utah Jazz will do all they can to sign Paul Millsap so they can send off Carlos Boozer. If the Pistons want to improve the 2009-10 version of their team, they should think long and hard about trying to convince the Jazz to trade one expiring contract for another. 

A Rip Hamilton for Carlos Boozer deal would give both teams financial flexibility while filling in immediate needs. The Pistons desperately need a presence down low and need to bust up an over-filled backcourt, while the Jazz need to let Millsap take his place in the rotation while getting a serious threat at the two-guard position. 

If Dumars can make that deal happen, then all was not lost this summer for the Pistons. Either way, best of luck to Gordon and Villanueva because I like them both and I really do think they are good basketball players so I hope they don't draw to much heat from Detroit fans and media. 

That's one bad deal done, are you ready for another? Good, let's do it again.

Imagine you are one of the 29 teams in the NBA that doesn't have Zach Randolph and the $33 million, two-year contract he comes with along with a few guns and DUIs. 

Now imagine you willingly bring him to your team by trading one of your players. Now Plax yourself. 

The Memphis Grizzlies looked like they were doing things right for a while. They have Rudy Gay, OJ Mayo and Marc Gasol. They drafted a center with some questions, but at least one that would provide strong defense. They were looking to get young and athletic. 

But now they trade Quentin Richardson, who would have been a great sixth man for them, and take on Zach Randolph. I only had a brief conversation with Randolph, but while he was a gentleman to me, it's clear to see how he would be a terrible practice player and a cancer in the clubhouse. 

While he might get double-doubles, he does not do it in a way that helps the team wins. He will play about 10 minutes of inspired basketball per game before just going through the motions. He doesn't care too much about helping rookies and seems more interested in what he is going to do after the game is over. 

He is not the player a team should take when they are trying to instill a winning attitude and work ethic in the clubhouse. 

Oh yeah, and that $33 million over two years is going to make it difficult for the Grizzlies to make a play at a 2010 free agent. 

Here's hoping your team does a little better this summer. 

Ben Gordon Agrees To Deal With Pistons, Which Seems To Be Similar To The One He Once Rejected From The Bulls

I wonder if Ben Gordon realizes he has to live in Detroit. For $11 million per, I would not be surprised if General Motors or Ford asked Mr. Gordon for an additional bailout.

And unless the Gar Foreman pulls a rabbit out of his hat, be prepared for a starting line-up of Rose, Salmons, Deng, Thomas, Noah.

Eighth seed, here we come. Again.

Pistons Strike Deal With Gordon [Yahoo! Sports]

NBA Predictions: Midwest Money

Welcome to volume 1 of my breakdown of every NBA division going in to the season. Many claim to be experts, but I promise that The Big Dead Sidebar is the place where you will find the most accurate and boldest predictions on the Interweb.

To start things off I chose my personal favorite division — the Central. I refer to this division as Midwest Money because it is a gamble. The division could send anywhere from two to four teams to the playoffs depending on what version of each team shows up on a nightly basis. I will start with the top and work my way down.

1. Detroit Pistons

I have little doubt the Pistons will remain the kings of the midwest. They are the deepest team in the central, followed by the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers respectively. They can score from the outside and they will absolutely punish teams in the post — something no other team in the central can come close to doing. The starters are aging, which can be a little scary at times, but the young guns are more than promising. New coach Michael Curry should keep the team focused and energized most of the way through. Will they finally get that second ring they have been good enough to get the last few years? I would say no, but there is a chance.

Team MVP: Tayshaun Prince - The scorer, defender, shooter and slasher. He is everything.

The Rising Star: Amir Johnson - How does a blocked shot every nine minutes sound? That's what Johnson did last year and I expect even more this year. I love Jason Maxiell, but I think Johnson is the heir to McDyess' throne.

The Falling Star: Chauncey Billups - "Big Shot" Billups has started to lose a step and it is beginning to show. He knows at 32 time is running out for him, so he could be even more focused on getting a ring this season. The Pistons wont have to lose too much sleep as the great Rodney Stuckey and defensive stalwart Arron Afflalo wait in the wings.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

There are only two reasons why Cleveland will get second place. LeBron and James. He is the best player in the Eastern Conference and is great enough to get event the most mediocre teams to the top. The addition of former Buck Mo Williams will help space the floor and I expect Wally World and Big Z to give enough effort to keep the team in second. They have nice role players with Delonte West, Booby Gibson and Anderson Varejao. If you don't watch the Cavs because of King James, than watch them for Varejao's hair, it's awesome.

Team MVP: LeBron James - This one is self-explanatory

Rising Star: Delonte West - He could sneak up on a lot of teams this year if they don't pay attention. He only averaged a little more than 8 points per game, but I expect around 12 from him this year with 4 or 5 assists per game as well.

Falling Star: Ben Wallace - Remember when I said Billups could use his age as motivation? Yeah, well that isn't going to happen with Big Ben. The once dominant defender is done...I mean totally done. He is worse on offense (which I thought was impossible) and he is slower and he doesn't defend as well. He is not much help at all.

3. Milwaukee Bucks

So here is one of those bold predictions I was talking about. Let me just say, the Milwaukee Bucks are my favorite sports franchise so I am somewhat biased, but this team has talent. Richard Jefferson, Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut and Charlie V are all offensive weapons. No other front court in the central has the ball handling or passing touch of Charlie V and Bogut. There are HUGE questions on defense but the addition of Scott Skiles along with Malik Allen and Luc Richard Mbah-A-Moute should help.

Team MVP: Richard Jefferson - This is a tight call with Bogut being a close second, but I expect Jefferson to bring speed and defense to the perimeter. His willingness and desire to throw down should be of great help since Michael Redd has never been a slasher.

Rising Star: Ramon Sessions - No doubt about it this kid is going to be really good. He reminds me a lot of Andre Miller and his final four games all ended with double-digit assists including a 24-assist game. Keep an eye out for him, he will surprise you.

Falling Star: Dan Gadzuric - The once solid defender and rebounder has become a shadow of his former self. He was never great, but he used to give you an honest night's work every time out, but the athleticism of today's game has passed him. He did have a tremendous block against the Utah Jazz in a game at the Bradley Center I went to last year though.

4. Chicago Bulls

I had to be talked into this one, but at the end of the day, I believe it too. The fact is they are deeper and have a better front court than the Indiana Pacers. Derrick Rose of course will the be the face of the team all season, but the other players will be the ones deciding the fate of the team. Can Tyrus Thomas reach his potential? Can Luol Deng reach his potential? Can Thabo Sefolosha reach his potential? You see the pattern here. If they can all click, then watch out, but I have my concerns about Vinny Del Negro leading this team.

Team MVP: Luol Deng - This has to be the year for the highly-touted forward because, A) If it's not, then the Bulls wont go very far. B) If he doesn't lead this team, then he will have proven to be overrated and a strong mid-level player, but not the star as expected.

Rising Star: Thabo Sefolosha - I am a sucker for defense and this guy plays it very well. Aside from that, he is one of the only backcourt players on the Bulls with any size, save Rose. I expect him to be the "seventh man," which is really the sixth man on this team since Air Gordon puts up starter minutes.

Falling Star: Larry Hughes - Honestly he is just along for the ride. I am sure he thinks he still can be a vital part of this team, but with Rose, Hinrich, Gordon and Sefolosha all expected to get big minutes, he will probably ride the bench for the majority of the time.

5. Indiana Pacers

Let me just say I really like this team's front court. I think Danny Granger is awesome, Mike Dunleavy is good and TJ Ford is a highly intelligent point guard. Then you have the addition of Jarrett Jack and Brandon Rush and this team is ready for some perimeter damage. The front court is beyond terrible. Jeff Foster, Troy Murphy, Rasho Nesterovic, Josh McRoberts and Roy Hibbert combine for a whole bunch of nothing. This team does not have depth either and does anyone even know who the coach is? Oh yeah, Jim O'Brien.

Team MVP: Danny Granger - He came out of nowhere the past two seasons and has just kept flying under the radar. Without this guy, the Pacers suffer tremendously. He can fill it up and he can take it to the rim. If he continues to improve defensively he will be a legit star.

Rising Star: Brandon Rush - As you can see I must resort to a rookie because this team simply doesn't have good, young players. I know Rush will continue to be better and should be great. He has already shown real leadership and coolness in the exhibition games.

Falling Star: Rasho Nesterovic - I'm not saying he was ever a star but he is being paid $7.8 million this season. Huge waste of money for someone who will do a good job of blocking some shots but that is it.

This should be an interesting division to watch this season and if I am right in my predictions I think I will be the only one as many people don't have Milwaukee and Indiana where I have them. But like I said, TBDS is offering you the gospel of basketball so make sure to check out the next division...the southeast.