6yrs/80M Keeps Deng A Bull

[Mexi]

CHICAGO (AP)—Restricted free agent forward Luol Deng and the Chicago Bulls have agreed to six-year contract that could be worth as much as $80 million.

The Bulls e-mailed a news release Wednesday afternoon announcing the “contract signing of Luol Deng.” No details on the deal were released.

General manager John Paxson did not immediately return a phone call from The Associated Press.

The new deal was reported earlier by the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and ESPN.com, which said the contract would include $71 million in guaranteed money.

Deng averaged 17 points and 6.3 rebounds last season, while shooting 47.9 percent. That marked a drop from 2006-07, when he scored 18 points a game with 7.1 rebounds, while making 51.7 percent of his shots. Deng had rejected a five-year contract extension last October that was worth $57.5 million.

A four-year pro out of Duke, the 6-foot-9 Deng has career averages of 15.6 points and 6.4 rebounds.

After three straight playoff appearances and a trip to the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Bulls faltered in 2007-08, finishing 33-49 in a season that saw both head coach Scott Skiles and interim coach Jim Boylan lose their jobs.

The Bulls are hoping Deng will be a big part of their future along with Derrick Rose, a guard out of Memphis selected by Chicago with the No. 1 pick in last month’s draft.

Guard Ben Gordon, who rejected a five-year, $50 million contract before last season, also is a restricted free agent.

 

[playmaker7]

See where rumors get you?

Knew he was gonna be a Bull for a while. He's got a skillset thats not easy to give up/replace

 

[Pugz]

Ben will either go over seas or be traded. Unless he just signs for a year and then walks.

 

[NjNets15]

I really can't believe that he is getting 80 Mil over 6 Years, there is no way Deng is worth that kind of money

 

[.loggie]

I really can't believe that he is getting 80 Mil over 6 Years, there is no way Deng is worth that kind of money

and with ben gordon asking for the same amount, no way. Pugz is right, hes out for sure because they do already have Larry Hughes.

 

[yezzir]

I don't understand what the Bulls were thinking when they decided to give him 80M. That's crazy.

 

[R6Vox]

Deng lucked out, I don't think any other team would give him 71-80 Million for 6 years.

I don't truely believe the Bulls will sign and trade Ben Gordon. John Paxson has put way too much effort into keeping his core group together to just trade off their only scorer.

The Bulls are going to find a way to get rid of Hughes...he doesn't fit into their future at all. They'll just have to trade him for a center or PF like Erik Dampier that has a similar contract.

The Noc/Simmons for Brad Miller trade seems pretty decent. I think Noah is better suited for the bench anyway.

 

[djhipp]

I don't understand what the Bulls were thinking when they decided to give him 80M. That's crazy.

That he's one if, if not their best player and they cant afford to let him go.

 

[Dice-J]

Ben will either go over seas or be traded. Unless he just signs for a year and then walks.

Yeah i was hoping Blazers would get him next year. Then blazers would be even more loaded with youth.

 

[VC15]

Too much youth is never a good thing...