European Teams Interested in Ben Gordon Options

[SoxFan1]

Multiple sources have been reporting that Greek giant Olympiakos has or is going to offer Ben Gordon a contract and has been in touch with his agent. Ron Artest is also a guy that has been linked to possibly be going to Europe this off-season.

[DutheDoduhon21]

it seems like every free agent is linked to a european team now, its not a big deal.

[rockren]

I'd be shocked to see him go overseas.

[dasox24]

With Childress having actually gone overseas, it does now actually worry me a bit seeing a report like this. Gordon would get a lot more money playing for a team like Olympiakos than any NBA team. So if it's "all about the benjamins," good bye BG...

[ZoomSlowik]

With Childress having actually gone overseas, it does now actually worry me a bit seeing a report like this. Gordon would get a lot more money playing for a team like Olympiakos than any NBA team. So if it's "all about the benjamins," good bye BG...

I agree with that entirely, the European teams can offer Ben a lot more money than most NBA teams will. They don't have to worry about the salary cap and how signing BG would affect them in 2010, so they could easily throw something like 4-40 at him, which we likely wouldn't match.

[Balta1701-B]

Gordon's agent floated a phony offer from what was it, a Russian team, last year to try to spur interest in his guy? Same deal here.

The Euro has also, IIRC, weakened substantially against the dollar since last year since Europe's banks are just as big or a bigger mess than ours here, so the premium for getting paid there also is gone.

[SoxFan1]

Gordon's agent floated a phony offer from what was it, a Russian team, last year to try to spur interest in his guy? Same deal here.

The Euro has also, IIRC, weakened substantially against the dollar since last year since Europe's banks are just as big or a bigger mess than ours here, so the premium for getting paid there also is gone.

The Euro is still about $1.40 USD so while it has down a lot, it's still much higher. European banks aren't even CLOSE to being in as bad condition as Americas. And with teams wanting to save money for 2010 and not this season, and the salary cap likely to come down, I can definitely see a European team doing quite well and offering Gordon a ton. And this is not a phony offer, it was reported all throughout Europe.

[TeaLeafReaderII]

European banks aren't even CLOSE to being in as bad condition as Americas.

Um... wrong. Though there are some exceptions (France). America may have started it, but they brough most everyone down with them.

[SoxFan1]

Um... wrong. Though there are some exceptions (France). America may have started it, but they brough most everyone down with them.

I'm aware that it's bad everywhere, but overall, Europe is in better shape than the US right now.

[dasox24]

I guess I'll put this here...
http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune....nt-promise.html

Bulls' Ben Gordon has free-agent promise?

K.C. Johnson

My former colleague and current friend Sam Smith jump-started the free-agency frenzy that will begin July 1 by writing Wednesday on www.Bulls.com that he's heard Ben Gordon's agent is claiming Gordon's camp has an $11 million per year promise from the Detroit Pistons.

Several media outlets, including the Tribune, reported the Pistons as one of the teams expected to make a run at Gordon back in April. They are armed with roughly $23 million in salary-cap space and reportedly want to sign two big-name players this summer, possibly Gordon and Utah's Carlos Boozer.

Detroit fits Gordon's main requirement that he has stated publicly and consistently whenever asked about his upcoming unrestricted free-agency status---the chance to win. And, if true, an $11 million annual salary would surpass the back-to-back offers Gordon turned down from the Bulls in the summers of 2007 and 2008.

Nobody, of course, will confirm this story even if it's true because to have even discussed parameters of a deal violates league rules. Negotiations can't begin until July 1. It's possible, of course, that the Pistons contacted Raymond Brothers, Gordon's agent, last summer and informed him they'd be willing to sign Gordon at that number when they had salary-cap space. The Pistons didn't have that much salary-cap space last summer, when Gordon was a restricted free agent and the Bulls could match any offer.

Stay tuned.

[soxfan3530]

I guess I'll put this here...
http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune....nt-promise.html

Not good.

[Balta1701-B]

That would be a flat out bizarre move by the Pistons.

[dasox24]

That would be a flat out bizarre move by the Pistons.

No kidding... If they really want to offer him that much, go ahead. I don't want to lose Gordon, but I don't want to keep him either if that's the price.

[rockren]

Detroit can have him at that price.

I wonder if Rip would be willing to come off the bench for BG or vice versa? It won't be as bad as the AI fiasco...but there will be turmoil.

[Balta1701-B]

Detroit can have him at that price.

I wonder if Rip would be willing to come off the bench for BG or vice versa? It won't be as bad as the AI fiasco...but there will be turmoil.

Maybe they'll offer Gordon that contract and then trade their backcourt to Boston for their little B**** of a point guard.