[Bryan88]

Do you think Deng and Gordon will be back, or are they gone?

Gordon, Deng deals hold key to Bulls' roster -- ChicagoSports.com

Do you think Derrick Rose or Michael Beasley will make the biggest impact on the Bulls' roster this off-season?

Think again.

Unless Kobe Bryant gets Bulls fever again and lapses into some unexpected snit at a shopping mall near you or Danny Ainge drinks too much celebratory champagne and has a fire sale on Kevin Garnett, John Paxson all but guaranteed this week that Luol Deng and Ben Gordon will prevent him from making trades until their restricted free-agent status is resolved.

Deng and Gordon can begin negotiating with the Bulls and other teams July 1, and they will exert far more influence on how the roster looks in the future than any rookie. Because they're restricted free agents, the Bulls have the right to match any offer they receive.

"You don't want to jump into something and then a year from now, if something doesn't work out, you don't have a roster you're really happy with," Paxson said. "We need to take this step-by-step. We'll make our [draft] selection. We'll start dealing with the prospect of contracts for Luol and Ben. How those play out in large part will determine what we do after that."