Ben Gordon To Pistons: So What? Wade on the Horizon

(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Some Bulls fans may be distraught by the news that the Detroit Pistons have agreed to terms with Ben Gordon in a deal that should pay him more than $55 million over the next several years.

I tell them to shrug it off.

Sure, Ben gave Chicago some great moments. A few years ago, Chicago was contending for a title under a strong back court of Kirk Hinrich and Gordon. Just this past spring the Bulls took the city by storm, pushing the defending champion Boston Celtics to a game seven in a thrilling series.

But let us remember what Gordon did not give us.

He did not give us leadership. Gordon could always be seen sulking on the bench when missing playing time, kicking over water coolers, throwing towels, and in general being a poor act.

He did not give us consistent scoring or big shots. For every moment Chicago Bulls fans held their hands on top of their heads in awe of his rare athleticism and skill, there were an equal amount of times those same hands covered their mouths, sickened by a careless turnover or sloppy rushed shot.

Gordon's time in Chicago was not wasted, but he proved himself to be a great sixth man, but not a starter. So why should Chicago and general manager Gar Forman pay a sixth man the starter money Gordon demands?

The answer is they shouldn't. And they won't.

Because Forman and the Bulls are looking forward to the same star-studded summer that every other NBA franchise is yearning for impatiently. The summer of Wade and Bosh. The summer of LeBron and Nash.

So many of the NBA's elite are going to be available come next summer that one could arguably say a championship team could be made from the free agent class alone. Surely a team of Nowitski, Nash, James and Boozer could dominate just about anyone else on the floor.

The Bulls should have one star in particular in their sights: Miami's Dwyane Wade.

In a radio interview on ESPN 1000 Chicago with Waddle and Silvy, Wade was poked and prodded about a possible return home for the native Chicagoan. Wade commended the team for their playoff run, but simply laughed and let the radio hosts have their fun.

What he didn't say was "No."

Who is to say that Dwyane Wade couldn't be had for $100 million over six years in an incentive-laden contract? Perhaps some sort of injury clause included. What would keep him from coming to Chicago?

The Bulls are home to the NBA's 2008-2009 Rookie of the Year, Derrick Rose, who came of age before the eyes of a championship-hungry franchise. Guard/forward John Salmons, acquired in a trade with the Sacramento Kings, was a pleasant surprise, providing consistent scoring.

Forward Joakim Noah finally displayed the same tools he was known for while winning championships in Gainesville, Fl., blocking shots and understanding his role as a scrappy energy player, scoring on put-backs and second-shot opportunities.

This is not to say that Ben Gordon won't be missed in some ways, namely in scoring. This coming season could be very tough. The Bulls will have a difficult time replacing his playoff averages of 24.3 PPG, but with next summer looming, the future looks much brighter than it would otherwise.

The beginnings of something special are here in Chicago, and Wade has strong ties to the Chicagoland area. His mother still resides here, running her own church paid for by her son. He runs a basketball camp here every summer for children.

Here's to hoping something else keeps him coming back here in a few years: a championship ring.

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