Bulls extend qualifying offer to Aaron Gray
While we wait for the agonising confirmation that Ben Gordon is leaving us to join the Pistons, we may as well consider some infinitely less important news.
Per
Sam Smith at Bulls.com:
The Bulls also tendered a qualifying offer to retain or match on Aaron Gray.
Does this news comfort you? Are you excited? Do you feel better about inevitably losing our best scorer for nothing now that we've extended a qualifying offer to a man whose best moment from two years in a Bulls uniform was the growth of his playoff beard? Do you? No?
Oh.
Gray showed some signs of usefulness in his first two seasons, and was the starter for a portion of last season. His rebounding rate is one of the best on the team, which is helpful for the
19th best rebounding team in the league last season. However, his conditioning has been up and down, and his lack of speed still causes problems on defense, more problems than his offense causes the opposition's. As such, he figures to be the third string centre once again.
The qualifying offer is for $1,000,497, and is fully guaranteed. While the Bulls can still rescind the offer between now and July 23rd, if they don't, the chances of Gray taking it are about 100%. It isn't likely that he will get an offer for more than that from another team.
Therefore, expect Aaron Gray back with the Bulls next year.
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6 Comments
Doug Thonus said:
His tender offer isn't guaranteed is it? If not, then there's really no downside.
Mark Deeks said:
Afraid it is. The rule with qualifying offers is that they have to be at least the same amount of guarantee as the last season of the contract before it, and Aaron Gray was 100% guaranteed last year. Therefore, so is the QO.
But, whatever. Aaron Gray for 1 year at $1 mil isn't that big of a deal.
Doug Thonus said:
It adds about 500k more money the Bulls would need to shed in order to keep Ben Gordon and stay under the tax, though presumably they could revoke it prior to July 23rd like a standard QO for a 1st round pick?
Mark Deeks said:
They can, but I can't imagine they will. Rarely are guaranteed QO's revoked.
If the Bulls keep Gordon, it'll be regardless of Aaron Gray's QO. And if they lose him, it won't be because of Aaron Gray's QO. I realise the need to penny pinch is paramount, but when we're paying a combined $26 million to Tim Thomas, Brad Miller and Jerome James, we can't cite the extra $500k that Gray woudl get over an undrafted rookie as being the problem with our salary situation.
Doug Thonus said:
If they're within 500k of the luxury tax after signing Ben Gordon and trading Kirk Hinrich then I can't imagine them not revoking the QO. Regardless of whose making the money, if they have a way to get under the tax, then I suspect they will take it.
Granted, it seems unlikely Gordon will be signed and that any of this will come up.
Mark Deeks said:
Probably. But the optimist in me likes to believe there's other ways to save money this year instead.
This was always the risk of the Salmons trade - we save 2010 and 2011 money, but only by taking on 2009 money. We hoped it wouldn't cost us Gordon. But it appears it will.
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