Come To Think Of It: Gordon to Pistons Not a Long-Term Problem for Bulls

(Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

So Ben Gordon has left the Chicago Bulls for the Detroit Pistons? While you might expect consternation, I give you a big, fat YAWN.

Why? For a few reasons, my friends.

First, Ben is short. Yes, I went there.

I know he was the Bulls' leading scorer. But at 6'2'', Gordon often had trouble battling teams' best players.

Second, he won't play defense.

But perhaps the best reason is that, while the Bulls will need to replace his scoring in the short term, over the long haul Ben Gordon was NOT going to make the Bulls a champion.

The former Bulls guard Gordon will receive a five-year, $55 million deal. 

That money is better saved to be used on a better player, one who will move the Bulls closer to championship caliber.

Now, I'm not saying that his departure won't leave a void for the immediate future.

Gordon led the Bulls in scoring each of the past four seasons. He averaged 20.7 points per game on 45.5 percent shooting last year. For his career, he has an 18.5 points per game average.

But he didn't want to be here. He felt disrespected by Jerry Reinsdorf, John Paxson and Co. He never felt comfortable playing for new coach Vinny Del Negro.

The Bulls may still try to swing a deal for Chris Bosh or Amare Stoudemire, which would give them exactly the type of one-two punch with Rose that every team desires.

But, unless they can secure a strong inside presence, a true "star" player, the Bulls will continue to be stuck in that 'NBA Hell' I wrote about the other day.

Meanwhile, unless the Bulls do something, we can't help but think the Bulls, right now,  are worse than last year.

But long term? It doesn't really matter.

Maybe the ability to land a front-line scorer will trump the Bulls' loss in the short term.

Or we could be in for a long line of mediocrity, come to think of it.

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