Chicago Sports

Max Domi Signs with the Chicago Blackhawks

Max Domi Signing provides more depth.

The newest addition to the Blackhawks that general manager Kyle Davidson has signed on the first day of free agency, Max Domi, who is a good sign in regards to depth purposes for fire power, and skill accompanied with a burst of speed.

The 2013 Phoenix, 1st round, 12th pick overall comes witha little baggage as to how his production will affect the team’s need, but overall this is a prime deal that should overlook the leadership area and areas such as playmaking, with a broad defensive-minded aspect.

He was a plus +6 in the post-season with the Carolina Hurricanes, that gives a promising look towards beyond the regular season and bringing up the young guns that were just drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks, who are said were showing promising signs at the developmental camp earlier this week.

Domi had played for Phoenix, Montreal, Columbus, Carolina, and now Chicago.

This is a perfect solution for a temporary fix for offense this upcoming season, signing a one-year $3 million USD contract, is because he can play on the third-line at center and by sometimes being bumped up to the second-line during line-juggling experiments and still contribute offensively.

For most seasons, Max Domi has been a 20 plus goal scorer, which bring in the depth.

In my opinion this is a steal to say the least for the Blackhawks management depending on how he will play according to his game, but with the added youth and the veterans to help him there should be an adequate amount of contribution from all aspects of the team and coaching staff.

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Chicago news roundup: Company pitches reopening Gresham Save A Lot, Patrick Doherty’s plea, Cubs owner eyes the Sky, North Coast Music fest threats, more

Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It’s about a 5-minute read that will brief you on today’s biggest stories.

This afternoon will be partly sunny with a chance of showers and a high near 82 degrees. Tonight will be mostly clear with a low near 60. Tomorrow will be sunny with a high near 80.

Afternoon Edition

Chicago’s most important news of the day, delivered every weekday afternoon. Plus, a bonus issue on Saturdays that dives into the city’s storied history.

Top story

Black-owned company wants to reopen Gresham Save A Lot

Two years after a Save A Lot closed in Gresham, plans are in the works to reopen the grocery store under new ownership.

Ohio-based Yellow Banana wants to run the replacement store under the Save A Lot name through a licensing agreement — something it already is doing at six other former Save A Lot locations in the Chicago area.

Ald. David Moore (17th) updated residents on plans for the empty building, 7908 S. Halsted St., during a July 7 Auburn Gresham community roundtable.

The Black-owned company hasn’t made an offer yet, but its plans have Moore’s backing. The company hopes to move in by year’s end.

Yellow Banana now has 38 grocery stores it operates as locally-owned Save A Lot locations, including those Chicago-area stores.

Most locations of the Yellow Banana stores are in economically disadvantaged areas, Michael Nance, one of Yellow Banana’s owners, said during the community meeting.

“I know in Chicago, the Save A Lot banner has really overstayed its welcome in many respects,” Nance said. “I know … they left with virtually no heads up to the community. But me and my business partners, we looked at this as an opportunity.”

With the help of local grant funding and private investors, Yellow Banana hopes to renovate the shuttered Save A Lot store in Gresham. They have an “ambitious” timeline of opening before the end of the year — if they get the building, that is.

Mariah Rushhas more on the plan here.

More news you need

Jeremiah Moore, 7, was asleep in his family’s van early yesterday morning when he was shot to death by someone in another car, just blocks from his home in East Chicago, Ind., according to his relatives. The vehicle drove away and police said no one was arrested.Police and organizers of the North Coast Music Festival, scheduled for Labor Day weekend in Bridgeview, said they are monitoring threats made to individuals and artists associated with the festival. The festival’s account tweeted a statement in response to a warning of a shooting at the festival, saying organizers have contacted law enforcement and “are handling it with the utmost seriousness.”Patrick Doherty, a once high-ranking Cook County official, pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting to a wide-ranging set of corruption schemes totaling $148,000. The case against Doherty is tied to several individuals who have already been charged as a result of the feds’ aggressive public corruption investigations — most have already pleaded guilty.Longtime WXRT-FM (93.1) host Lin Brehmer said yesterday that he’ll take an extended leave of absence for chemotherapy to fight prostate cancer. Brehmer, 67, has been with ‘XRT for more than three decades, most of them as a morning man until he slid to middays in 2020.In his latest review, Sun-Times critic Richard Roeper covers the new Hulu documentary series, “Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons.” The well-crafted doc explores the brand’s boom years and its dark side — which included models being mistreated and a connection to Jeffrey Epstein.

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A bright one

Whitney Young High School’s tennis courts get facelift, new name

Bella Mendez-Robles, an incoming junior at Whitney Young Magnet High School on the Near West Side, was happy to see her school’s newly renovated tennis courts open for play.

“I’m on the tennis team and it’s great that I’m able to play tennis with everyone at these home courts, practice my skills and make new friendships here,” the 16-year-old said.

Whitney Young’s tennis courts, now named in honor of 1985 alum and former professional tennis player Katrina Adams, opened for community use yesterday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony where Adams herself was present.

From left: Whitney Young Magnet High School Principal Joyce Kenner, Whitney Young tennis coach Carl Abram, former Ald. Bob Fioretti, former pro tennis player and Whitney Young alumna Katrina Adams and Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. (5th) cut the ribbon yesterday on the school’s newly renovated Katrina Adams Tennis Courts.

Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

The renovations, which cost $240,000, began in March and took three months to complete. The courts got a complete resurfacing and new lines, among other improvements.

The courts, located at 110 S. Laflin St., can be booked online by community members for a fee of $15 per hour, which will be used to pay for continued upkeep.

After the ribbon-cutting, members of the community and Whitney Young students took to the courts and started playing. Adams even joined in and participated in a few games with the players.

Jordan Perkinshas more on the new court here.

From the press box

Your daily question ?

In honor of National French Fry day, where can you find the best fries in Chicago? Explain.

Send us an email at [email protected] and we might feature your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.

Yesterday, we asked you: What Chicago-set TV show gets it right when it comes to depicting our city?

Here’s what some of you said…

“None of them. All of them exaggerate what happens here. It’s almost comical. ‘The Chi’ is close, but at times it goes too far off reality.” –Brian Althimer

“‘The Bear.’ OMG — so Chicago in every way. The food, sights, sounds and people of Chicago. It’s such an excellent backdrop for this great show. Multicultural and totally Midwest so easy to identify with and watch.” –Amelia Marie

“Well you have to be writing about ‘The Shining Girls’ — Chicago is so prominently featured, including the old Sun-Times building! And ‘The Bear’ has great Chicago scenery, plus lots of spot-on Chicago references.” –Kathryn Pritscher

“Two shows that oddly enough share an actor — ‘Shameless’ and ‘The Bear.’ Both brought back soo many childhood memories.” –Heather Bynum

“The answer is easy. No, literally, the answer is ‘Easy,’ a Netflix series by Joe Swanberg.” –Chris Geatz

“I lived in the projects when I was a kid, and ‘Good Times’ did a decent job of showing what life was like in those Chicago areas.” –Hillari Hunter

“‘The Bob Newhart Show’ did a great job of 70s Chicago.” –Michael Molloy

“‘Boss’ with Kelsey Grammer is hugely underrated.” –Carter O’Brien

“I’m really fond of all of the Chicago scenes from ‘Sense8.’ You can tell that the filmmakers have actually lived in the city.” –Danielle Rue

“Of all these shows about Chicago that I turn a side eye to because it doesn’t seem authentic, ‘South Side’ on Comedy central and now on HBO Max gives the true essence of Chicago, from a South Side perspective!” –Damien Parker

“‘Early Edition.’ It revolved around stories found in the Chicago Sun-Times.” –John Noyes

Thanks for reading the Chicago Afternoon Edition. Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.

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Sky in preliminary talks with Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts and others about investing in franchise

Sky principal owner Michael Alter said ahead of the 2022 season that adding investors to the Sky franchise was top of mind for him.

Those additions are starting to take shape with Alter confirming that the Sky and Cubs co-owner Laura Rickets have had preliminary conversations regarding her becoming an investor in the WNBA franchise. Alter told the Sun-Times that he’s had multiple preliminary conversations with interested investors but declined to say who the other parties were.

“When you’re out thinking about adding investors you have to talk to people,” Alter said. “Laura [Ricketts] is just one of the people we’ve talked to.”

According to Alter, they are very early in all occurring discussions and no specifics regarding investments have been considered. Right now, the Sky are simply gauging interest from potential investors.

The top priority for Alter is adding investors who align with the WNBA’s and the franchise’s values.

“The money is secondary,” Alter said. “We won’t do this unless we find partners that share our values. That’s absolutely essential.”

Alter said last March the timing is perfect to add investors because the Sky have a valuable story to tell. The Sky ownership group’s primary reason for moving forward now according to Alter is to validate the value of their franchise.

Alter knows there are always things the Sky can do better as an organization, but they don’t need to do anything radically different to draw free agents he said. He added that the franchise’s culture has kept players in Chicago and attracted top free agents.

Still, there is a widening gap between teams regarding player experience and amenities, and the Sky have a reputation as being in the bottom tier. The Sky do not have a private training facility and practice at Sachs Recreation Center, a public fitness center in Deerfield.

Meanwhile, the Seattle Storm announced in May the development of a state-of-the-art performance center dedicated solely to their franchise. The project, scheduled to be completed by 2024 WNBA training camp, is being funded by the franchises ownership group and is projected to cost more than $60 million.

Ricketts, as a Sky investor, could bring ideas like those that helped turn the Cubs around.

The Cubs were MLB’s perpetual “Lovable Losers” when the Ricketts family bought the team from Tribune Co. in 2009. Though the team has struggled recently, the club had a string of successful years culminating in a World Series title in 2016.

The Ricketts family has also remade the area around Wrigley Field, including the construction of a hotel across from the ballpark, the development of Gallagher Way and plans to add a sportsbook to the stadium.

Alter was adamant that these conversations do not reflect any change in his long-term commitment to the Sky and the WNBA.

“I’m as deeply involved and engaged as ever,” Alter said. “I don’t see that changing any time soon.”

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The Blackhawks’ rebuild: Remember when being bad was considered bad?

Remember the good, old days when professional teams didn’t try to lose? When they came by their high draft picks as a result of poor decisions, general incompetence and disappointing players? When being bad wasn’t a strategy but a curse?

The Blackhawks recently shifted into the top gear of their rebuild, shipping talented young players out of town and gathering in a boatload of high draft picks that will one day make everything better again. That’s the plan, at least. For now, they’re hanging onto Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, the most important Hawks of the past 40 years.

The veterans’ presence amid a rebuild serves as a nice reminder of how they got to Chicago – the traditional way, when a team was awful for no other reason than it couldn’t help being awful. The Hawks were able to take Toews with the third overall pick in the 2006 NHL draft because they had just finished 26-43-13 while actually trying to win games. Then-general manager Dale Tallon was able to take Kane first overall the next year because the team had just finished going 31-42-9. Three Stanley Cups followed.

Besides being a way to save an owner a ton of money, a rebuild takes some of the guesswork out of the draft. It’s a way of amassing a raft of high picks with the idea that some of them surely will turn into stars. It’s hard for a GM to be wrong with so many horses in the race. In the old days – oh, 15 years ago – a general manager would cross all of his fingers hoping he’d hit on his one first-round pick.

But look at the pile of picks the Hawks received when they traded Alex DeBrincat to Ottawa and Kirby Dach to Montreal last week. DeBrincat brought three picks, including the No. 7 overall in this year’s draft, and Dach brought the No. 13 pick. An earlier trade sent Brandon Hagel to Tampa Bay for first-round picks in 2023 and 2024. It’s going to be hard for new GM Kyle Davidson to be wrong with so many picks. That’s the thought, along with saving a lot of money for the owner. Did I mention a rebuild saves money for the owner? I think I did, the part about saving money for the owner.

Rebuilds are all the rage now in professional sports, with lots of fans backing lots of teams in the decision to reduce everything to rubble and start from scratch. Even though the strategy has worked (the 2016 Cubs being the best example), it’s hard to shake the feeling that we’ve all been had, that on a yacht somewhere owners of sports franchises are cackling in unison over the gullibility of the masses. They can win financially by losing games! Who knew?! Hahahahaha!

Rebuilding often is considered cool by the media cognoscenti, and anyone who doesn’t go along with the concept is considered seriously out of touch. But not with this rebuild. This one feels like a betrayal, especially after what the franchise has put its fan base through. News surfaced last year that the Hawks had brushed aside a staff member’s alleged sexual assault of a Hawks prospect, Kyle Beach, while the team was chasing the 2010 Stanley Cup. It eventually led to lawsuits and the departures of team president John McDonough and general manager Stan Bowman. It also led to apologies from chairman Rocky Wirtz. But Wirtz’ sincerity came into question in February when a reporter asked him at a town-hall meeting what the team was doing to ensure that another sexual assault wouldn’t happen.

“We’re not going to talk about Kyle Beach,” he said angrily. “We’re not going to talk about anything that happened. We’re moving on. What we’re going to do today is our business. I don’t think it’s any of your business. You don’t work for the company. If somebody in the company asks that question, we’ll answer it.”

Public outrage was immediate.

How do you move on from the sexual assault of a 20-year-old? Apparently by rebuilding. All that busyness – who has time to count the skeletons in the closet? Even though the Hawks were in the midst of a rebuild before the DeBrincat and Dach trades, those moves feel like a one-two punch for fans who think the franchise has a one-two punch for them on a continuous loop.

The Hawks sure do ask a lot of the faithful. Amnesia. Patience. A high pain threshold. And money.

It’s going to be a very odd look if the team keeps the 34-year-old Toews and the 33-year-old Kane while going through a rebuild, even if it’s the players’ decision to stay with the only franchise they’ve known. It will look like a way to get sentimental fans into United Center seats while offering up what figures to be some really bad hockey.

I miss the good, old days of bad.

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Kenny Williams addresses White Sox poor performance

Kenny Williams has something to say about the White Sox’s disappointing performance

To say the very least, this has been an extremely disappointing season for the White Sox. At the beginning of the season, the White Sox were poised to be in the conversation for the American League champion. But at the season’s halfway mark, they are not even over .500 and sit third place in the AL Central Divison. Nobody was expecting the White Sox to be here, and their performance has raised a lot of questions. In his weekly column with USA Today, Bob Nightengale had a lot to say about the state of the White Sox:

“There have been a lot of whispers of unrest, cliques, and the lack of player leadership inside the clubhouse tearing apart this talented team. Everybody is asking themselves, ‘What’s wrong with the White Sox?’ The most disappointing, underachieving team in baseball. The answer I get just inside the clubhouse, I mean, guys are complaining about Tony La Russa, guys complain about the front office and things like that. But when it comes down to it, everybody is saying there’s really no leadership in that clubhouse.”

“It seems like a relaxed atmosphere, like, ‘It’s early, it’s early.’ And there’s nobody to really jump on guys and say, ‘What are you guys doing here? You’re embarrassing yourselves by wasting this kind of talent in a very mediocre division.’ So, players and teams have been talking about this a lot the last few weeks. They’re all saying the same thing. It’s inside that clubhouse.”

With so much conversation around the White Sox and leadership, it was only a matter of time before Kenny Williams, Vice President of the White Sox, made some kind of comment. And because Nightengale’s column on USA Today got so much heat, it was only natural to direct his remarks on the Sox’s performance towards him. Nightingale shared that Kenny Williams said, “no one was absolved for the team’s woes.”

Chicago #WhiteSox president Ken Williams addressed the players and staff on Friday about their underachieving performance this season, reminding them of their talent, but that it was time to focus and pull together. No one was absolved, from staff to players, for the team’s woes.

But that’s all we got. When Kenny Williams was pressed for further information on what went exactly went down in the conversation, the conversation all of the sudden became private. One can only hope that the talk has an impact on the White Sox’s performance. It cannot be clearer that morale is down, with the team barely acknowledging Tim Anderson being selected as an All-Star starter, the snub to Dylan Cease, and their extreme underperformance. Hopefully, Kenny Williams has said the magic words.

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Blackhawks sign forwards Max Domi, Andreas Athanasiou in NHL free agency

The Blackhawks entered the first day of NHL free agency Wednesday needing a few forwards to fill out their roster.

They did just that by signing Max Domi and Andreas Athanasiou to matching one-year contracts with $3 million salary-cap hits, per numerous reports.

Domi and Athanasiou promptly become the fourth- and fifth-highest paid forwards on the Hawks’ books, but they likely won’t be in Chicago for long. It wouldn’t be surprising to see general manager Kyle Davidson try to flip them to a contender for assets at the trade deadline as the Hawks long-term rebuild continues.

Domi, 27, recorded 39 points in 72 games for the Blue Jackets and Hurricanes last season. The son of former NHL enforcer Tie Domi, he has never quite lived up to his draft position (12th overall in 2013) or his 2018-19 breakout season in Montreal (72 points), but he remains a solid middle-six winger.

His fiery competitiveness is his most well-known trait, although he does have some playmaking skill. It’ll be interesting to see him on the same team as Connor Murphy, whom he attacked in a bizarre 2021 in-game incident in Columbus.

Athanasiou, also 27, recorded 40 points in 75 games for the Kings over the last two seasons, missing a large chunk of 2021-22 with an injury. He, too, enjoyed his best career season in 2018-19, when he hit the 30-goal milestone with the Red Wings.

His burning speed is his most well-known trait, checking off the other box — in addition to competitiveness –that Davidson has frequently mentioned as priorities in player evaluation.

The Hawks also signed depth goaltender Alex Stalock to a one-year contract with $750,000 cap hit on Wednesday, The Athletic’s Scott Powers reported.

Stalock struggled mightily last season, posting an .869 save percentage in 17 AHL appearances and .786 save percentage in one NHL game for the Sharks, after missing the 2021 season with a heart condition. He’d previously been a solid backup, going 36-29-11 with a .908 save percentage for the Wild from 2017 to 2020.

This story will be updated.

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How this Chicago Bulls team differs from the 2021-22 squad

The 2021-22 Chicago Bulls revisited

The Chicago Bulls were one of the success stories during the 2022 regular season, only to fall short in the first round of the playoffs, losing in five games to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Chicago’s star-studded starting lineup, comprised of resurgent five-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan, late-rising, high-flying guard and two-time All-Star Zach LaVine, and fellow two-time all-star and one of the more skilled centers in the league, Nikola Vucevic, practically guaranteed a trip to the playoffs, yet in the playoffs, their bench provided little-to-no help.

However, with the impending return of a healthy Lonzo Ball, as well as a few key additions to the bench, Chicago now seems to have one of the premier squads in the Eastern Conference, and this coming season could quietly provide their best chance at winning a title since Michael Jordan’s team capped off its second three-peat.

The band is back together… with new faces

One of the most important additions to Chicago’s rotation is actually a player who was on their roster last season: Alex Caruso

A fan-favorite willing to do anything for the betterment of the team, including starting at power forward despite being a natural point guard, Caruso will be able to go back to the bench when Ball returns, putting him back in his preferred place. “A.C.” was a key contributor in the second unit during the Los Angeles Lakers’ run to the 2020 title, even earning himself a start in the closeout Game Six, and with him back in his regular spot, he will be able to spend more time creating for his teammates while also playing stifling defense on opposing guards.

Goran Dragic may be haunted by memories of his most infamous encounter with Chicago when Derrick Rose baptized him on a transition jam in 2010, but his insertion into the Bulls’ rotation should also prove extremely valuable. The 36-year-old veteran still has gas in the tank and played important minutes for the Brooklyn Nets in the recent playoffs, averaging 10.5 points on 56.3% shooting in 19.8 minutes per night. “The Dragon” can work off or on the ball and will fit seamlessly with Caruso as an excellent penetrator and catch-and-shoot guy.

On the complete other hand, the Chicago Bulls also rebuffed its center position by signing another form Net, Andre Drummond; the longtime Detroit Piston-turned-journeyman is one of the true brutes in the league and finished last season ranked first in total rebound percentage and 10th in contested rebound win percentage amongst players who participated in at least 50 games. 

There is also a glaring disparity looking at Drummond’s per 40-minute stats compared to 2021 backup big man Tristan Thompson— whereas Thompson’s line consists of 13.8 points and 11.6 rebounds, Drummond posted a far more impressive 21.1 points and 18.5 rebounds.

Legendary women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt once said “offense sells tickets, defense wins games, and rebounding wins championships,” and the Bulls just added a four-time rebounding champ to their roster. Not bad.

Increased expectations for Chicago Bulls

As much as the Bulls were a fun group to watch last season, the short-lived affection for the overachiever will have worn off, and teams will view them as a viable threat and treat them as such. This means that they will not be sneaking up on anyone, and the basketball world will expect results.

The front office took a plunge in early July by extending LaVine on a five-year, $215m deal, so his seat is also increasingly hot. The sharp-shooting athlete has thrived since coming to Chicago, but he now needs to take another step and become the second-best player on a championship-contending team.

His counterpart and team star, DeRozan, will also be demanded to perform after making an early MVP case but only finishing on the All-NBA third team due to a poor close to the regular season. His style of mid-range dominance has been called outdated, but it was working for a while. If he can sustain his excellence throughout the campaign, it will go a long way towards getting the Bulls firmly in the mix for the Larry O’Brien trophy.

The season is still a few months away, but there is a growing buzz in Chicago— hopefully they back up their bull.

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How this Chicago Bulls team differs from the 2021-22 squad

The 2021-22 Chicago Bulls revisited

The Chicago Bulls were one of the success stories during the 2022 regular season, only to fall short in the first round of the playoffs, losing in five games to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Chicago’s star-studded starting lineup, comprised of resurgent five-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan, late-rising, high-flying guard and two-time All-Star Zach LaVine, and fellow two-time all-star and one of the more skilled centers in the league, Nikola Vucevic, practically guaranteed a trip to the playoffs, yet in the playoffs, their bench provided little-to-no help.

However, with the impending return of a healthy Lonzo Ball, as well as a few key additions to the bench, Chicago now seems to have one of the premier squads in the Eastern Conference, and this coming season could quietly provide their best chance at winning a title since Michael Jordan’s team capped off its second three-peat.

The band is back together… with new faces

One of the most important additions to Chicago’s rotation is actually a player who was on their roster last season: Alex Caruso

A fan-favorite willing to do anything for the betterment of the team, including starting at power forward despite being a natural point guard, Caruso will be able to go back to the bench when Ball returns, putting him back in his preferred place. “A.C.” was a key contributor in the second unit during the Los Angeles Lakers’ run to the 2020 title, even earning himself a start in the closeout Game Six, and with him back in his regular spot, he will be able to spend more time creating for his teammates while also playing stifling defense on opposing guards.

Goran Dragic may be haunted by memories of his most infamous encounter with Chicago when Derrick Rose baptized him on a transition jam in 2010, but his insertion into the Bulls’ rotation should also prove extremely valuable. The 36-year-old veteran still has gas in the tank and played important minutes for the Brooklyn Nets in the recent playoffs, averaging 10.5 points on 56.3% shooting in 19.8 minutes per night. “The Dragon” can work off or on the ball and will fit seamlessly with Caruso as an excellent penetrator and catch-and-shoot guy.

On the complete other hand, the Chicago Bulls also rebuffed its center position by signing another form Net, Andre Drummond; the longtime Detroit Piston-turned-journeyman is one of the true brutes in the league and finished last season ranked first in total rebound percentage and 10th in contested rebound win percentage amongst players who participated in at least 50 games. 

There is also a glaring disparity looking at Drummond’s per 40-minute stats compared to 2021 backup big man Tristan Thompson— whereas Thompson’s line consists of 13.8 points and 11.6 rebounds, Drummond posted a far more impressive 21.1 points and 18.5 rebounds.

Legendary women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt once said “offense sells tickets, defense wins games, and rebounding wins championships,” and the Bulls just added a four-time rebounding champ to their roster. Not bad.

Increased expectations for Chicago Bulls

As much as the Bulls were a fun group to watch last season, the short-lived affection for the overachiever will have worn off, and teams will view them as a viable threat and treat them as such. This means that they will not be sneaking up on anyone, and the basketball world will expect results.

The front office took a plunge in early July by extending LaVine on a five-year, $215m deal, so his seat is also increasingly hot. The sharp-shooting athlete has thrived since coming to Chicago, but he now needs to take another step and become the second-best player on a championship-contending team.

His counterpart and team star, DeRozan, will also be demanded to perform after making an early MVP case but only finishing on the All-NBA third team due to a poor close to the regular season. His style of mid-range dominance has been called outdated, but it was working for a while. If he can sustain his excellence throughout the campaign, it will go a long way towards getting the Bulls firmly in the mix for the Larry O’Brien trophy.

The season is still a few months away, but there is a growing buzz in Chicago— hopefully they back up their bull.

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Sky in preliminary talks with Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts about investing in franchise

Sky principal owner Michael Alter said ahead of the 2022 season that adding investors to the Sky franchise was top of mind for him.

Those additions are starting to take shape with Alter confirming that the Sky and Cubs co-owner Laura Rickets have had preliminary conversations regarding her becoming an investor in the WNBA franchise.

Alter said last March the timing is perfect to add investors because the Sky have a valuable story to tell.

Alter said there are always things the Sky can do better as an organization, but they don’t need to do anything radically different to draw free agents. He added that the franchise’s culture has kept players in Chicago and attracted top free agents.

Still, there is a widening gap between teams regarding player experience and amenities, and the Sky have a reputation as being in the bottom tier.

Ricketts, as a Sky investor, could bring ideas like those that helped turn the Cubs around.

The Cubs were MLB’s perpetual “Lovable Losers” when the Ricketts family bought the team from Tribune Co. in 2009. Though the team has struggled recently, the club had a string of successful years culminating in a World Series title in 2016.

The Ricketts family has also remade the area around Wrigley Field, including the construction of a hotel across from the ballpark, the development of Gallagher Way and plans to add a sportsbook to the stadium.

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The five best non-Michael Jordan players in Chicago Bulls history

Who are the best Chicago Bulls players not named Michael Jordan?

There is no question about who the Chicago Bulls’ best player ever is: one Michael Jeffrey Jordan of Brooklyn, New York, later by way of the University of North Carolina.

MJ is the reason that the Chicago Bulls rank fourth all-time in championships won, trailing only the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Golden State Warriors, and he is also the reason that Chi-town has never faced disappointment on the biggest stage. But for all of the praise that the G.O.A.T. gets, there is a slew of overlooked players that have contributed to the overall legend of the Bulls franchise.

These are the best non-Michael Jordan players ever to suit up for the Chicago Bulls.

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