Ben Gordon wants respect, i.e. money Options

[TeaLeafReaderII]

The Journal News reports on Ben Gordon wanting a new contract:


Gordon, 24, is about to embark on the final year of the four-year rookie contract he signed with the Bulls in 2004 after getting drafted out of Connecticut.

"The Bulls have an opportunity to extend my contract with them this summer," Gordon said yesterday. "So I’m hoping something gets done and I won’t have to wait another year to see what’s going to happen. I’ve done everything possible I could have done to help my team get to the playoffs, and I think it’s up to them right now to see if they want to make a long-term commitment."

"If you look at other players around the league that are doing things similar to what I’ve done in my past year and throughout my career, I just want to get that equal respect," said Gordon, who’ll become a restricted free agent after the upcoming season if he fails to sign an extension. "And that’s all it’s really about. The money I make is going to be more than I’ve ever made, so it really just boils down to getting your just due and your respect."

[madisonsmadhouse]

It doesn't really matter if Kobe opts out, the Bulls would still need to make at least one trade to be able to bring Kobe to Chicago. If they wanted to flat out sign him on the open market, they would need to trade away a lot of salaries first.