I think you’d agree: Today, good things are cheap things. With less people willing to spend extra money, it’s an ideal time to invest on bargain prices. If you can withstand the initial hit, your investment will pay off down the line.
Gordon was simply fantastic for the Bulls during the postseason. Under normal circumstances, Gordon would be packing his bags now, preparing for green pastures covered in bills. But not right now. As it stands, there are less than a handful of teams that could afford Gordon without incurring luxury costs, and none of these rebuilding franchises would consider the 6-1 shooting guard a player to build around. From the Chicago Daily Herald:
[The Bulls will] probably need to pay the tax in order to re-sign Gordon, and some team insiders believe there is a possibility that could happen. The team certainly finished the season on a high note, taking the defending champion Celtics to seven games in one of the most dramatic playoff series in NBA history.
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Gordon is free to leave, he but won’t have many options in free agency. At this point, Detroit, Memphis and Oklahoma City are the only teams that seem certain to have salary-cap room. Gordon isn’t an ideal fit for any of them.
With few options open for Gordon, Chicago is working in a Bull market. BG would have to request a sign and trade if Detroit, Memphis or OKC make an offer (however unlikely) so he can receive an extra year and more money. The Bulls could trade for draft picks and cap space if they want. That’s one option. The other option is to resign Gordon. The caveat is they’d pay taxes for a season.
Should the Bulls go over the cap to resign Gordon or should they replace him? If keeping an exciting young core intact at a relatively cheap price is of any importance, the answer is obvious.
