What you're getting with Ben Gordon

[Three34]

I thought this might help those of you who want to kill yourselves right now.

First things first: I do think you've overpaid, yet I also really wanted to keep him. So did most Bulls fans. And that should say something. You overpaid to get him because you had to, yet Dumars went out and targetted him because he's good. I mean, he really is.

In simplistic terms, you can say somewhat accurately that he only has one plus-NBA skill - his jumpshot. You'd be right, in a sense. But this isn't a midget Casey Jacobsen or Eddie House you've got here - Ben Gordon is an other-worldly, fantastically brilliant shot maker. Really. He can hit any jumpshot - falling forwards, sideways, backwards, from his arse, with 7 footers draped all over him....anything. He rarely gets blocked, and he never misses the open ones. He can hit any shot that's not a layup with a largely unparalleled frequency - the only shotmakers at guard better than him in this league are the elite players of the game.

As for his shot selection, it's not nearly as bad as you think it is. Every now and then, he'll have a shocking night where he chucks up tat, but he's really not the chucker that you think he is. There's a bit of it, but not much. And the tradeoff comes when he's in a zone - when he gets hot, he gets superunrealisticallysweetChristlookathimgo kind of hot, where he will take and make as many 27 footers as the game clock allows. This benefits your team, not hinders it. Seriously.

The rest of his game is pretty average. His rebounding is average (although since he's almost always the smallest guy on the court, 3 and a bit per game is all right), and his dribbling is a bit sloppy. The Bulls drafted Gordon expecting him to be able to play some point down the road, but he can't - he dribbles too high, loses the ball in traffic more often than is comfortable, and dribbles off his foot quite a lot. He also has very little passing vision - it's not a selfishness thing, he just can't do it. He's much improved at getting to the rim, though, and he draws a lot more foul shots than he used to. His scoring efficiency is very nice from a shooting guard - he averages about 1.30 points per shot, and was more efficient than Kobe last year. Shooting 40%+ from the three point every year while taking that many shots is bloody hard to do, and it does wonders for a man's efficiency.

(His interior finishing is pretty bad, though. At least he put the floaters to bed.)

As for his defense.......well, it's not great. But it's also not bad. It used to be bad, but he got a lot better. He is quite obviously better when defending the point guards, as I'm sure all 6'1 guys are (he's listed as being bigger than he is), but if Stuckey can pick up the two's for him (like Hinrich used to do), then you should be fine. His defense is probably on the negative side of average, but it's not abhorrent. Like everything else about his game, it has improved for five years.

Off the court, Ben is a consummate professional, who never speaks out of turn, and who works out hard in the offseason, even in the year that he didn't have a contract. He almost never misses a game, has developed some fine swagger over the years (it's great fun when he grabs his balls after making a particularly key three). He was once convicted of hitting his girlfriend, but it's no secret, and it's up to you how much that matters.

It appears that most of you are against this, and against Gordon in general. But I implore you that you'll like Gordon the player.....probably. He probably is about $10 mil overpaid over the life of the contract, but such is the nature of unrestricted free agency. Pretend it doesn't exist, and you'll like him more.

[AAU Teammate]

His ball-handling will make you guys want to self-stab. His wildness is everything you guys were not in your recently great backcourt.

But some nights you will absolutely love him.

[RustInPeace]

Nice scouting report. I'm one of the guys who is looking forward to him... The main reason why most are not liking this signing is this doesn't really fill any of our needs (except shooting).

[AAU Teammate]

I will say it's fun basketball to watch when he's hot

Ive never experienced a hometeam that was like D'antoni's Suns, but at times he's someone who would be interesting in that style of play.


I dont know if it can be made to win anything however.

[vege]

Thanks for the post Sham. I don't think anyone dislike Ben here. People who dislike his sign have a few reasons.

First we need front court depth and we killed most of our cap space to sign a player for a position we don't need.

Second Stuckey's main advantage is his size and playing along with Ben Gordon, that advantage will be denied, maybe on both ends of the court but 100% for sure it will be on defense. He will be forced to defend SGs.

On the other hand people belive Ben Gordon's game fits with Stuckey much better than RiP's game. We need to see what will happen with RiP. If we get a good deal for him (unlikely) i think people here will start to like this sign

[Three34]

Nice scouting report. I'm one of the guys who is looking forward to him... The main reason why most are not liking this signing is this doesn't really fill any of our needs (except shooting).

I get the feeling Dumars is looking for the full do-over. The last few months would suggest that, if nto outright state it. If so, your needs - and the pieces around Ben - will change. So hopefully that won't be relevant one day.

Also, rember that in this day and age, you can never have too many shooters. And you just got one of the world's best.

[Three34]

Thanks for the post Sham. I don't think anyone dislike Ben here. People who dislike his sign have a few reasons.

First we need front court depth and we killed most of our cap space to sign a player for a position we don't need.

If you want Tyrus Thomas, we can talk.

If you don't, I'll understand. No, really, I will.

[Muzzleshot]

All in all not a bad signing in my opinion.
If he were 3-4" taller I'd be jumping out of my skin.

He's got some flaws, but there aren't many NBA players this side of perennial all-stars that don't.

[knickerbocker2k2]

Not Bulls fan but I think Gordon in the $10-11M range is just right. Nearly every team has max player on it and these guys usually go for $14-17M. Gordon at this range is 1B or 2nd option. Great value.

I think his most underrated scorer in this league. He has played on defensively minded clubs with little offensive talent. It is amazing that he has averaged nearly 20PPG without playing with any decent front court players. I think with somebody like CV who can step outside and hit the 3, he will become even more deadly. Gordon needs just a little space to get his shot off and I think the pick/roll with CV will become deadly.

Another quality move by Dumars.

[Three34]

About that: Gordon kind of sucks at running the pick and roll. Just doesn't pass it back. The Bulls have never had the finest options for that, but the few we have had (P.J. Brown, Brad Miller, even Tim Thomas), Ben just doesn't pass back. This is what I'm saying about his passing vision - there isn't any. He's not a ballhog, he just can't pass.

[roc]

What you're getting with Ben Gordon

screwed?

[Three34]

All in all not a bad signing in my opinion.
If he were 3-4" taller I'd be jumping out of my skin.

He's got some flaws, but there aren't many NBA players this side of perennial all-stars that don't.

His height is not ideal, but it's also not that big of a deal. No one posts him up, despite how you always hear about how easy it is to do (Billups is the only person that ever did it), and Gordon's jumpshot never gets blocked. The problems with his defense aren't about height, but about his hands, his concentration and his tendency to ball watch. Height would help, but it doesn't really hinder.

Oh, he's also clutch, has balls of steel, and a never-miss foul shooter. All plus points.

[Ben]

I heart Ben Gordon. Am really, really sad right now. As Sham wrote, the price was too high but that won't matter b/c you had the money anyway and there wasn't a better scorer available.

CV is a different story. Can't quite understand that one. But maybe you guys will trade for a good center and all will be OK.

Sad day for many Bulls fans.

[roc]

Sad day for many Bulls fans.

and Pistons fans

[Dirtgrain]

Thanks to those who are giving us the lowdown. I like Gordon because I think he is tough and has guts. Losing Billups chopped the balls off of this team (yah, maybe he was too cocky at the end--and too nonchalant). I hope Gordon gives Detroit some balls again (but will CV negate that?). Billups was, back in the day, Mr. Bigshot. But we seemed to miss that his last year or two with the team. But Gordon might prove better than Billups in that category. Dumars needs to work on shoring up the rest of the lineup--especially with some tough defenders.

[JNewton]

Sad day for many Bulls fans.

and Pistons fans

Yeah, Joe in full panic mode. Reminds me of the horrible Nazr signing.

[Three34]

Thanks to those who are giving us the lowdown. I like Gordon because I think he is tough and has guts. Losing Billups chopped the balls off of this team (yah, maybe he was too cocky at the end--and too nonchalant). I hope Gordon gives Detroit some balls again (but will CV negate that?). Billups was, back in the day, Mr. Bigshot. But we seemed to miss that his last year or two with the team. But Gordon might prove better than Billups in that category. Dumars needs to work on shoring up the rest of the lineup--especially with some tough defenders.

One thing to note - on the court, Gordon isn't really vocal. He's pretty quiet and reserved. But in clutch situations, he emains as calm and reversed....until he hits a shot. And then he can and will pose. I wouldn't mistake it for complacency, because he steps the eff up in big situations pretty much always. He's just not very shouty.

[SHO'NUFF]

BG did not get overpaid. He deserves every penny. You guys got a fantastic player...no doubt. I will definitely miss him.


A fun video of BG throwing some dunks in high school. Sure he doesn't really do that now...even though he's perfectly capable of...but it comes with having to adjust your game in the NBA.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK9zOH4LCcM

[the air. . . . .man]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/ba ... 4678.story

Here's a real good article about BG and his character.

Congrats guys you got a good player and a good person.

[tmorgan]

I think it's nice to see a sampling of Bulls fans say nice and yet realistic things about Ben Gordon now that's we've offered a little more money and stolen him away...

...quite unlike the massively douchebaggy sendoff we gave Ben Wallace when the situation was reversed.

Well done, Chicago.