I'm just trying to be a fan of reason. Anyway, I first heard the Josh Childress story about him going to Europe last week, and that our economy is so bad, that several other NBA players have actually considered playing basketball next year on the other side of the Atlantic. As for Gordon & Luol Deng, there are NO OFFERS for either of the Bulls' restricted free agents, according to ESPN Radio 1000's Carmen DeFalco, and I first learned about #7 possibly considered playing overseas in a report late this afternoon.

For the record, Josh Childress signed a 3 year, $20 million deal to play basketball in Greece and leave the Atlanta Hawks in the rearview mirror. As for Gordon, he doesn't necessarily want to play ball in Europe, and clarified his stance yesterday at the Bulls/Sox Training Academy in Lisle where he was holding court at a kids' basketball camp. He wants to stay right here in the U.S., and preferably with the Bulls. I think this talk about Europe is nothing more than a negotiating ploy. Whether or not #7 stays with the Bulls is a different matter entirely.

He'll probably end up signing a 1 year deal with the Bulls since they appear to be so far apart on money.

Josh Childress signed a 3 year, $20 million deal to play basketball in Greece

This is absolutely insane. I would be shoked if someone shows me an economic justification of this contract. When washed up MLB stars go to make a buck in Japanese leagues, I see a method behind madness. Japan has a solid baseball fan base crazy about MLB. Are there hoops fans in Greece? I imagine this is a vanity move by the ownership to sign an american player akin to that of LA soccer club signing Bekham.

Vinny, the NBA has become a global league...

You are missing the point. What I am curious to know is whether the club that signed him generates an operating profit that would justify the terms of the deal.

I'm not 100% sure to be honest. Ben said something at the his basketball camp yesterday about the "Euro being strong". I'm no economist by any means...

Ben is trying to sound as if he has other options besides the Bulls. Unless he's interested in playing overseas, he'll sign a 1 year deal because, in Gordon's case, there appears to be a sizable gap in his perceived value.

Since this thread was bumped, I've also seen where Josh Childress isn't happy in Greece and since the Hawks still own his rights as a restricted free-agent, it's possible he could be making a stateside return in time for a playoff push...

Sounds like some wishful thinking. But that would be kind of cool...

One has to think that Ben has the most market value for GM John Paxson to trade before the February 19th NBA trade deadline. After all, he's an unrestricted free agent agent this summer...I've got to think that teams around the NBA would rather be more interested in someone who's actually playing in Gordon compared to someone in Larry Hughes who isn't, and has voiced his displeasure to a point where the rumored deal to New Jersey may fall through instead.

Gordon would have to agree to it since he would lose his Bird Rights

..with all the SHITTY advice (an/or decision-making) that this guy has screwed himself with so far, I'd have to believe that he'd agree to absolutely anything

F Marvin Williams and former Atlanta Hawks teammate Josh Childress remain the closest of friends despite all the thousands of miles that separate them. And while they've kept in regular contact via email and text, they'd spoken on the phone only a couple times since Childress left for Greece. That's how Williams knew something was going on when he missed a call from Childress before the Hawks' knocked off Chicago Tuesday night at United Center. "I knew something had to be up if he was calling," Williams. That something was breaking news from much closer to home than Williams imagined. Childress had sports hernia surgery Tuesday in Philadelphia and will be out for six to eight weeks, providing an early return stateside, even if it is just for a month or so. "I'll be doing rehab in Los Angeles for about a month," Childress said via text Tuesday afternoon. "It was a small tear in my lower abdomen. But I'm good." He joins a growing list of injured Hawks, former and present. Williams (concussion) and Al Horford (knee) are day-to-day, while reserve guard Acie Law IV is out seven-to-10 days with a right quadriceps contusion."It was good to hear from Chil," Williams said, "but I wish the news was better. But he said it's not something major, so I'm sure he'll be fine." Whether or not the Hawks hear from Childress before the playoffs remains one of the more intriguing potential story lines of this season. While he remains under contract with Greek power Olympiacos, there will be rampant speculation with him in the states rehabbing that he's a candidate to rejoin the Hawks in time for a playoff run. After all, the Hawks retain his rights as a restricted free agent. And with other defectors for Europe already back in the NBA fold, Childress could make a similar jump were things to get more complicated than they are right now.

I dunno, he's settled for losing millions so far...

I got a friend that is playing over in Germany and he loves it. I guess if you are a star in one of those leagues it might be different.

Ronnie Fields?