Broussard: Chicago adjusting to life without Ben Gordon

Remember Chicago Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf’s quote about the team’s decision not to make a long-term commitment to Ben Gordon? You know, when he claimed that the Gordon’s return to the team would have resulted in less playing time for him? How about the revelation that they withdrew an offer which Gordon was said to have accepted? It’s seem as if he’s beginning to regret both decisions.

In today’s Daily Dime TV segment, ESPN’s Chris Broussard reveals that Chicago point guard Derrick Rose blames his early-season struggles on more than just his sore ankle (starts at 6:00):

As Broussard points out, the entire Bulls squad necessarily misses Gordon – any team would be stunted on offense after seeing their leading scorer from the past four straight seasons walk, without adding another weapon to take up the slack. Their scoring has dropped twenty spots (from 8th to 28th). And Gordon is having a career year so far, averaging 22 points per game.

It’s a young season so far, and there’s a lot of time for both numbers to change. But one thing is clear: Chicago is definitely missing Ben Gordon.