Link:The ongoing Kobe Bryant rumors affect Chicago's Ben Gordon because much of the speculation has the Lakers' high-scoring star headed to the Bulls and taking over Gordon's spot at shooting guard.
"Hopefully I'll be here," Gordon said. "You don't really think about it much. You don't really focus on it. You just hear the rumors every single day."
Gordon skipped another practice Wednesday to rest a sprained left ankle. While the Bryant rumors are mostly for entertainment, Gordon has a legitimate distraction in the form of an Oct. 31 deadline to sign a contract extension. If no deal is reached, he will become a restricted free agent next summer.
