Gordon:I'm going to situation where winning is #1 priority

Ben Gordon: 'I'm going to a situation now where winning is the No. 1 priority'
Posted by Dave Dial July 02, 2009 01:14AM

Despite the Chicago Bulls finishing ahead of the Detroit Pistons in the standings last season, Joe Dumars impressed Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva enough to verbally agree to contracts the first day of free agency.

July 2, Chicago Tribune: "I don't have any regrets, and I don't have any bitter feelings for the Bulls," Gordon said after returning to Chicago late Wednesday. "Business is business. I'm going to a situation now where winning is the No. 1 priority. I'm happy with my decision...



Joe Dumars, the Pistons' president of basketball operations, made it clear to Brothers that Gordon served as his No. 1 off-season target. Along those lines, Dumars then hosted Gordon and his former Connecticut teammate Charlie Villanueva, whom the Pistons also signed, for a tour of the Pistons' practice facility and lunch on Wednesday.

"Joe's passion for winning is really evident when you speak to him," Gordon said. "He has such a competitive edge to him. And he has a knack for putting together really good teams.

"He's a proven winner whose only priority is to win titles. That's my ultimate goal too. I feel fortunate where the guy at the top [again] feels just as passionate about winning as I do."


While signing Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva won't catapult the Pistons back into the team they were from 2003-2008 when they went to six straight Eastern Conference Finals and won a NBA Title, it's a huge step in the right direction.

When you can add players like Gordon and Villanueva to a roster like the Pistons have, then it's only a matter of time before you can add the right pieces together to become Title contenders. When you look at the young Piston players like Rodney Stuckey(23), Arron Afflalo(23) and Austin Daye(21), and add young players like Gordon(26) and Villanueva(24), you have a strong nucleus to build around. Joe is probably not done making moves yet either, so stay tuned...