Duhon disciplined for sarcastic comments

Mar 12, 2008 - 1:16 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Chris Duhon again was disciplined by Chicago Bulls general manager John Paxson, according to the Chicago Sun Times on Tuesday.

The newspaper did not say what actions were taken by Paxson but revealed that it was in relation to comments made by the guard about his punishment for missing Sunday morning's shootaround prior the game against the Detroit Pistons.

"Usually, I don't play anyway, so it doesn't have that much of an effect on me," Duhon told to the Sun Times about his benching.

Paxson and interim coach Jim Boylan weren't happy with that remark, the report said, causing Duhon to face additional punishment.

"That's a bothersome statement," Paxson told the newspaper. "Chris and I talked about it, and he said he said it out of frustration.

"I said this to the guys: The bottom line is we all have a great job. We're in professional sports; we are compensated extremely well; we are asked to come to work and give all you have. You have to put it in that perspective."

A former Duke product, Duhon attended the Blue Devils' contest vs. North Carolina on Saturday night before making the trek to Detroit. But he didn't make it on time and was benched for the contest Sunday night.

The Sun Times said that Duhon blamed his hotel's wake-up call service, which he claimed failed to wake him in time.

"I did meet with Chris," Paxson said to the newspaper. "We obviously talked it out. Obviously, when things go badly, they go badly. I'm disappointed in what happened in the last couple of weeks, but ... I've dealt with it the way I feel was right, and we'll move on from there.

"I expect our guys to remain professional and understand the bigger picture. I've given some discipline there, and that's where it ends and we'll move forward."

But Duhon apparently doesn't want to move ahead with the Bulls, according to the Sun Times.

"I probably won't be back. I don't know what the summer has for me," Duhon said.

It was just the latest incident in a disappointing season for the Bulls (25-38), who were a preseason favorite in the Eastern Conference and still remain just one game back of the Atlanta Hawks (26-37) for the final playoff spot in the weak conference.

But the campaign has been marred by the firing of coach Scott Skiles and numerous rifts, arguments and examples of insubordination inside the team.