[ESPN] Ben to Bulls

I think he really hated Flip. I don't think he feels he has a better chance to win in Chicago. No way. Also, Skiles is probably a coach more in the Ben mold. Skiles is tough as nails and I'm sure Ben likes that. Flip is as tough as Play Doh.

Let's face it, Chicago overpaid to get Ben. It would have been nice if Detroit had offered a little more because I don't think they were willing to budge on the $49.6 million offer at all. $60 million over four years is too much. If Detroit had paid that, I would have questioned it. I wish they had come back at $53 or $54 million and seen what happened. Oh well, water under the bridge.

Garnett is making about $22M next year. Assuming the Bulls would have to include Chandler in the trade, who else could they package to make it work? Gordon and Nocioni?

Chandler/ BG/ and Noc would be a lot to give up. They'd be left with Hinrich/Deng/Thomas/Ben/KG. Still a pretty sinister starting 5.

I'll be trembling when we face the Bulls if they get KG.

The Pistons did up there offer from $49.6 to $52 million according to the Detroit Free Press. It was not enough for Ben. Also they report that Ben started the negotiations wanting 20 million a season. That is insane.

if he wanted 20mill a season then he never wanted to comeback to Detroit as he knew Davison would never pay that...in fact who would

This puts a nasty taste in my mouth about Ben. IMHO he is on the decline and the only way he would deserve the $60 mill is if he had 3 rings from the last three seasons.:P

Heard this from an associate of Ben on WXYT.com 1170 today and I tend to believe its validity for reasons BEN left "the orginazation"and not the fans:

1. The ROn Artest incident: To make a long story short, they banned his brother from the Palace. In His hearing to reinstate him, The Piston Brass did not recind. This guy was very protective over Ben to get his butt to the NBA and keep him from becoming what "he" was, a big bodyguard or worse, thug. So when BEN defended his teams honor(we were losing by 20) by shoving Artest to Muskegon, his brother only did what all our brother's would have done. I dont think Ben ever really forgave the front office...yknow, back of his mind stuff.

2. Flip's 3's: When u have a coach like LB who got us 1 and 3/4 championships in 2 years by emphasizing tough manonman D, lowpost effeciency and limited 3 pt bombing ONLY to replaced by a guy with 0 anythings, zone (Im weak-lets stand around) defense and jack up nothin but 3's-coach like flip, it has to tug at your jockstrap. BEN was Motown Hard, flip was miinnysoft. Ben was the assembly line, flip is the chorus line. I got out the Army when I saw the Army getting soft....BEN did the same.

3. The$$$$$$: BEN came in the league with nothing. He has established himself as the second best defensive player in Piston history. And now he is offered 2 mil more a year to relocate. I am about to relocate to NCarolina. UKNO why?..$$$$$...I dont blame Ben 4 the $$$, I baalme Joe D and co. for lying 2 us-BLANTANT LYING- and getting rid of MEMO, NASTY, DARKO, DLOS and MJ to sign Ben, Tay and CBill. BEN saw through the lie and hence, saw the changes.

4. While all these moves may be good 4 business, it shows how pro sports have no affection for the fans. All the kids(especially white ones) became a bit more closer to the black athlete. Ben made u less afraid of the "big black man". BEN knocked down stereotypes and racial discard 100 nights a year. BEN brought all of us on this forum together and made us feel that HARD WORK does pay off. BEN moving on only validates the importance of working hard to get whay you want, no matter where it leads u.

Any oldskoolers remember a song by the Chi-lites?/..." It was the coldddddddd-est day-ay...of my li-ife!"......

That sounds like a hardball, bigshot agent to me.

Nice post, Brotha! I didn't know the specifics, but I had a gut feeling Ben was not happy with the org. And your number 4 is right on. I'm gonna miss the big guy.

I feel bad for little 5 year old Piston fans. There probably asking their moms and dads why Ben left. How the hell are you supposed to answer that without making the kid feel like crapp?...

right on, bro LIn and Mat...right the hell-on!!

I guess it is a hard dose of reality for the young kiddies. Only the loot can make most people happy!!!!

Money talks and BS runs the marathon- Nino Brown

Can you say spin?

You just tell them the team decided it was more important to score alot of points rather than win and they felt Ben was useless.

Flip Saunders?

Good post bro HQ/CT/EMU, especially item # 3. On the other hand to not sign those other guys to make room for your big guy down the line sets you up to lose again when it is time to sign Billups....so treat him right now and maybe we are not crying the blues when CB asks for $70 mill next year.

to finish off the Chi-lites tune, "I had to run for cover yeah, yeah, yeah.

I can be sympathetic about his brother. That's a big one. But I can see that the Pistons were uncommonly loyal and accomodating to Ben in so many other ways that shouldn't be ignored either. Ultimately, I think Flip's the reason. The 4th quarter benching was really, really dumb.