After coming to terms with veteran forward Joe Smith on a two-year contract, Bulls general manager John Paxson reiterated his commitment to signing Luol Deng and Ben Gordon to long-term extensions. Both players could command upward of five years and $50 million each in a new deal.

''We have been very conscious that Luol and Ben Gordon are priorities for us,'' Paxson said Saturday. ''So the fact that we were able to sign Joe to a two-year deal was good for us. People who want to think we are vulnerable in the future with those two guys are mistaken. [Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf] was counseling me with Joe's situation and gave me the go-ahead. He understands the next step with Lu and Ben. Jerry wants to win and is giving us the chance to make decisions to help us do that.''