Chicago Sports

Jay Cutler is the Chicago Bears’ best quarterback in history

The Chicago Bears don’t have a history with too many great franchise quarterbacks. Former Bears quarterback Jay Cutler didn’t get the respect he felt he deserved while with the team but hopes Justin Fields can get his as the team leader.

Cutler is easily the best Bears quarterback in their history. It’s not really close for the former fan-turned-Bear. Cutler set the Bears record for most passing yards (23,433) and passing touchdowns (154).

Sid Luckman is 17 touchdowns shy of Cutler, but a lot of passing yards short. Jim McMahon has a Super Bowl victory to his name, but his stats are as close to Cutler as Soldier Field is to Arlington Heights.

Cutler spoke to Jason Lieser with the Chicago Sun-Times. Cutler told Lieser that he thinks Bears fans appreciate him more now than when he was in Chicago, and that he hopes Fields can be even better than he was.

Per Lieser, Cutler said of Fields:

“If the Bears start winning . . . I hope they do. And I hope Justin is successful, and I hope he’s the next big thing here and he’s the best quarterback to come out of Chicago Bears history.”

“I like him . . . he’s got all the tools, but it’s the same problem the Bears have had for a long time: They’re turning over coaches and turning over OCs,” Cutler said. “It’s hard for a quarterback. You look across the league, and the guys that are really good at quarterback have the same coaches and same systems each year.

“This is like learning a different language. It’s like if I told you: ‘Hey, you’ve gotta learn Spanish this year, and next year learn Italian and the next year learn Chinese,’ it’s not gonna be easy.”

Fields is nowhere near where Cutler was with the Chicago Bears

Cutler’s playing style is as close to Fields as Spanish is to Chinese. The only thing the two have in common is the blue and orange the two put on to represent the Chicago Bears. Fields is much more athletic than Cutler ever was.

FIelds also comes off as more likable and seems to give off the energy that he’s fully invested in his career. Fair or not, Cutler would often seem to be apathetic as a signal-caller. That annoyed fans when the Bears lost. Some fans accused him of quitting during the NFC championship game versus the Green Bay Packers.

One thing Cutler has over Fields is a positive touchdown to interception ratio. Fields put the ball in the hands of too many defensive players last season, whether through the air or the ground. That’s something Fields will need to fix regardless of whether a coach knows how to set up a game plan or not.

If you miss Jay Cutler slinging bombs to Bears wide receivers, here are some clips:

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Recently, manager Tony La Russa told reporters several White Sox veterans ”are playing under trainer instructions that if they make a routine out, they slow it down” while running to first base. I haven’t been given those instructions, so I am going full speed ahead in providing you with questions (and answers). I just hope I don’t pull a hammy in the process. Because so many of you seemed to enjoy the summer music quiz last week, let me point out that “The Hustle” was a song by Van McCoy and the Soul City Symphony that went to No. 1 on the Billboard charts during the summer of 1975, a season in which the Cubs and Sox each finished in fifth place (I blame it on disco).

Enjoy this week’s quiz.

1. I was remiss last week in not acknowledging the 50th anniversary of Title IX (as loyal reader Joellen reminded me). The anniversary of the landmark legislation is worth celebrating, but true gender equity remains elusive. I will do my part to celebrate women’s roles in baseball when I can. Let’s start with a softball question: Who won the 2022 Women’s College World Series?

a. Texas b. Oklahoma

c. Florida d. Oregon State

2. Billy Williams, Ernie Banks and Ryne Sandberg each had 14 seasons with 20+ doubles. Who is the only current major-leaguer who has 20+ doubles in each of the last 12 seasons (2011-22), which I think is incredibly impressive?

a. Paul Goldschmidt

b. Freddie Freeman

c. Eric Hosmer

d. Andrew McCutchen

3. Last season, Ian Happ tied for the Wrigley Field lead in doubles with nine. With whom did he tie?

a. Kris Bryant

b. Anthony Rizzo

c. Willson Contreras

d. Frank Schwindel

4. From 2017 to 2021, among players with at least 250 games played, Jose Abreu won two-thirds of the Chicago Triple Crown, leading all White Sox and Cubs players in home runs with 137 and RBI with 480. He hit .283, second in the Second City. Who had the highest batting average?

a. Kris Bryant

b. Tim Anderson

c. Leury Garcia

d. Anthony Rizzo

5. The Pirates have a kid by the name of Oneil Cruz, who is the tallest shortstop ever. Listed at 6-7, Cruz is proving to be pretty impressive thus far. Height really isn’t my strength (I’m gifted in the area of lack of height). Which leads me to ask you this: Since 1950, who is the shortest shortstop to regularly play in Chicago?

a. Sergio Alcantara

b. Leury Garcia

c. Harry Chappas

d. Jimmy Rollins

6. Frankie Montas well might be the most coveted starter at this trade deadline. Montas should be used to being dealt. He originally was signed by the Red Sox in 2009 and sent to the White Sox in a three-team trade in 2013. He made his debut on the South Side in 2015 but was dealt again in December 2015 in another three-team trade, this time to the Dodgers. He never pitched for L.A., as he was sent to the Athletics in 2016 for Josh Reddick and a pitcher whose nickname is a synonym for ”Dick Mountain” (who started his career with the Cubs in 2005). Who is this pitcher?

7. Anagram time. An anagram is a word or phrase made by transposing the letters of another word or phrase. For example, the word “secure” is an anagram of ”rescue.” My anagram is not

Marlon’s sister, but it represents a Hall of Famer who played in Chicago. Who is he?

* The anagram is ”Sheila Brando”

8. On July 4, 1960, Mickey Mantle did it against the Senators. On July 4, 1961, Willie Mays did it against the Cubs. What did these two superstars do?

a. Strike out five times

b. Hit for the cycle

c. Hit their 300th home run

d. Go 5-for-5 at the plate

9. On July 4, 1980, Nolan Ryan did it against the Reds. On July 4, 1984, Phil Niekro did it against the Rangers. What did these two superstars do?

a. Strike out five times at the plate

b. Hit three home runs

c. Record their 3,000th strikeout

d. Toss a no-hitter

ANSWERS

1. Oklahoma (59-3) beat unseeded Texas 16-1 in Game 1 and 10-5 in Game 2 for the program’s sixth national championship. Northwestern made it to the Series before losing to Oklahoma and UCLA in the double-elimination tourney.

2. The fabulous Freddie Freeman already has passed the 20-doubles mark this season.

3. Kris Bryant also had nine doubles, four of which came as a member of the Giants.

4. Tim Anderson hit .287 to lead Chicago.

5. The reason they call it ”shortstop” is because of players such as Harry Chappas and Jimmy Rollins, both of whom are listed at 5-7. All the players listed are shorter than 6 feet.

6. ”Dick Mountain” is Rich Hill.

7. ”Sheila Brando” is an anagram for ”Harold Baines.”

8. Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays each hit their 300th career homers, and both did it in a losing cause. The Senators beat the Yankees 9-8, and the Cubs beat the Giants 3-2.

9. Nolan Ryan and Phil Niekro each got their 3,000th strikeout. The Astros’ Ryan struck out Cesar Geronimo, who was Bob Gibson’s 3,000 victim, as well. Ryan got knocked out, but Niekro, pitching for the Yankees, tossed a shutout.

Feel free to write me at walkoffs@gmail with questions, ideas and compliments.See you next week. Do ”The Hustle”!

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With NFL teams reporting to training camp near the end of the month, the number of teams with a realistic chance at winning the Super Bowl could be as high as 10.

The reigning champion Rams have a strong shot at repeating, but the Bills look every bit their equal. Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are sure to have a say in things as well.

Here’s a look at how everybody, including the Bears, stacks up heading into the season:

1. Bills
They’ve been steadily advancing the last few seasons and made a splashy pickup in Von Miller. It’s finally their time.

2. Rams
The Rams have made every smart move since hiring Sean McVay and recently added wide receiver Allen Robinson and linebacker Bobby Wagner.

3. Chiefs
They’ve had some letdowns, but the Chiefs have still reached the AFC title game or beyond in four consecutive seasons and still have the game’s best quarterback.

4. Buccaneers
Brady turns 45 before the season starts. How much longer can this possibly go?

5. Packers
The Packers are rebuilding at wide receiver after trading Davante Adams, but Rodgers is good enough to turn anonymous players into big contributors.

6. Chargers
The Bears are adamant that the Khalil Mack trade was good for both sides, and if Mack comes back healthy from foot surgery, he should have a big season.

7. Broncos
It’s difficult to gauge exactly how much Russell Wilson will lift the Broncos, but he certainly helps. And they allowed the third-fewest points in the NFL.

8. Bengals
The Bengals have a lot to prove despite making the Super Bowl last season. They went 10-7 and had a middling defense.

9. Patriots
They’ve navigated post-Brady life reasonably well, but the Patriots aren’t content to merely make the playoffs.

10. Ravens
A case could be made that Baltimore had the best draft this year, adding at least three players who could be high-impact as rookies.

11. 49ers
It’s high-risk, high-reward for the 49ers as they turn to former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance at quarterback and hope he’ll vault them from good to great.

12. Titans
The Titans seem to have everything but a dynamic quarterback, and that typically isn’t enough to contend.

13. Cowboys
Welcome to the 27th consecutive season of the Cowboys being not quite as good as they think they are.

14. Browns
The Browns gave up everything, including their dignity, for Deshaun Watson. If he plays, they’re a playoff team.

15. Dolphins
The Dolphins were one game away from the playoffs and made significant roster additions, led by electric wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

16. Colts
How much does former MVP Matt Ryan have left at 37? The answer will dictate the Colts’ season.

17. Eagles
This might end up proving too low of a ranking for the Eagles, who could very well overtake the Cowboys in the NFC East.

18. Raiders
The Raiders could be very good and still finish fourth in the AFC West, the NFL’s most loaded division.

19. Cardinals
After improving their record each of the last three seasons, the Cardinals feel like a team that’s going to plateau rather than keep rising.

20. Saints
The Saints were mediocre in their first season without Drew Brees and won’t get back to contention until they land another premiere quarterback.

21. Vikings
Speaking of mediocrity at quarterback and overall, figure on a fifth straight ho-hum season for the Vikings.

22. Steelers
With Mitch Trubisky at quarterback, there’s only so far the Steelers can go.

23. Commanders
Neither the Cowboys nor Eagles lookdominant, yet the Commanders are still decidedly behind those teams.

24. Jets
Being the 24th-best team in the NFL would be a big step forward for the Jets, who went 27-70 over the last six seasons.

25. Panthers
The Panthers have a below-average defense and no real answer at quarterback.

26. Bears
The Bears’ worst-case scenario is plunging into the bottom four teams in the NFL, but Justin Fields’ potential and a modest schedule give them a chance to avoid total embarrassment.

27. Lions
The Lions are always rebuilding and still don’t have a quarterback, but they took a significant step with a draft class that includes three potential starters.

28. Seahawks
The Seahawks have been one of the NFL’s best-run organizations over the past decade and will make great use of the draft haul they got by trading Wilson, but it’ll take a while.

29. Jaguars
As Trevor Lawrence improves, so will the Jaguars, but they still had an NFL-worst minus-204 point differential last season.

30. Giants
The Bears are fortunate they keep getting this team on their schedule. They’ll be seeking their fourth consecutive win in the series this season.

31. Falcons
The rebuild is in full swing after dealing Ryan to the Colts, and it’s going to be a rough season in Atlanta.

32. Texans
They have four first-round picks over the next two seasons, but that won’t help them now.

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SAN FRANCISCO — Leury Garcia drove in the game’s only run with a two-strike, two-out single in the ninth inning, lifting the White Sox to a 1-0 victory over the Giants on Friday night.

Lance Lynn pitched six scoreless innings in his best start of the season, and Joe Kelly, Tanner Banks and Kendall Graveman finished the job, with Graveman notching his fourth save as the Sox took the first game of a three-game series at Oracle Park.

The struggling Garcia, who went 2-for-4 to raise his average to .200, lined a 2-2 pitch from Camilo Doval to right field with two outs, scoring pinch runner Adam Haseley. Gavin Sheets had reached first on Doval’s error covering first and advanced to second on AJ Pollock’s single. Haseley, pinch-running for Sheets, scored from second, beating right fielder Mike Yastrzemski’s throw.

“Everybody knows the guy is a pretty good pitcher, with good stuff, just trying to put the ball in play and drive the run in,” Garcia said.

“I’ve been feeling good the last two weeks. I haven’t always had the result that I want but tonight it came in the ninth inning. My mindset is always get a hit.”

Manager Tony La Russa has stood by Garcia despite his struggles and was questioned for not pinch hitting for him during a key moment in the Sox’ 4-1 loss to the Angels Wednesday.

“He’s been better lately, you just have to watch,” La Russa said. “Watch his at-bats the last two weeks. Not like they were earlier. He’s getting closer and closer. He’s a big-time player. He had a big time hit against a bit-time arm out there. He’s special. That was huge for us. Great win.”

Lynn held the Giants to three hits while walking two. He struck out five, including Tommy La Stella to work out of a bases loaded fix in the first and Mike Yastrzemski with his last pitch — with a runner on first.

Lynn caused concern in the third when Joc Pederson called time as he was starting his windup. Lynn halted his motion and felt some apparent discomfort, prompting a visit from training staff. After taking a warmup toss, he retired 11 of the last 13 Giants he faced.

It was easily the best start of Lynn’s four outings since coming back from knee surgery. He lowered his ERA from 6.19 to 4.50.

Giants right-hander Alex Cobb pitched five scoreless innings, not allowing a hit until Jose Abreu’s infield single to deep shortstop with two outs in the fourth.

The Sox batted .281/.336/.406 and averaged 5.07 runs per game in June, third-best in the American League, but they welcomed in July with a listless attack against Cobb and x relievers. The Sox were in dire need of stringing together wins and taking series in July after going 8-12 in April, 15-12 in May and 12-15 in June.

Kelly pitched a scoreless seventh and lefty Tanner Banks a scoreless eighth.

The Sox (36-39) had lost six of their previous eight games.

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Cubs right-hander Adrian Sampson allowed hits to five of the first nine batters he faced before making a timely adjustment Friday.

Specifically, Sampson confused an aggressive Red Sox lineup by switching to his off-speed pitches and retired 12 of the next 14 batters. That gave the Cubs some time to rally from a four-run deficit and seize a 6-5 victory at Wrigley Field.

”They were all over his heater early,” manager David Ross said of Sampson, who allowed a home run to Jarren Duran on his first pitch and a three-run double to No. 9 batter Jackie Bradley Jr. ”He brought out the secondary stuff more often.”

Although Sampson was charged with five runs (four earned), he lasted 5 1/3 innings and likely earned himself another start.

”The most important thing is keeping it close to give our guys a chance to come back,” Sampson said.

Mementos and memories

Outfielder Narciso Crook said he would give the ball from his first major-league hit Thursday to his mother, with the stipulation that it will be put in a safe place.

Crook, 26, got his first major-league start Friday, one day after ripping a double down the left-field line against the Reds. In each of his five at-bats so far, Crook has displayed a solid swing that he refined after signing a minor-league contract with the Cubs shortly before the lockout in December.

”Very minor details,” said Crook, who is 2-for-5. ”At the end of the day, when you work on a good swing and everything is clean, everything is gong to look good.

”My mind is in the right place, and that has a lot to do with it. That’s it.”

Suzuki update

Outfielder Seiya Suzuki was scheduled to serve as the designated hitter Friday for Triple-A Iowa after going 2-for-3 with a home run in the first game of his rehab assignment. Suzuki reported his left ring finger felt fine.

This and that

Infielder David Bote didn’t start against the Red Sox because of a sore left shoulder but briefly was in the on-deck circle in the sixth inning before being pulled back.

o Left-handed reliever Brandon Hughes earned his first major-league victory.

o Closer David Robertson earned his 10th save in his 700th career appearance.

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SAN FRANCISCO — Liam Hendriks will come off the injured list Monday, he said, and not a moment too soon.

“This is a very critical stretch for us,” the White Sox closer said before the team opened a three-game series against the Giants.

The Sox (35-39) entered it trailing the first place Twins by 5 1/2 games in the AL Central. They were 4 1/2 behind the Guardians, and on Monday they play Twins at home to start a stretch of 15 straight games in 14 days against AL Central teams.

“It’s definitely make or break to help the front office clarify what we’re doing this year,” Hendriks said. “Whether it’s a good year, whether it’s a sit and wait year, whatever it is. But we need to in this clubhouse figure it out and take care of some business. We are facing our division which is good but can also be very bad.”

Hendriks threw a simulated game Friday, the last step before he gets activated after going on the injured list June 14 with a forearm strain. Were it up to him, he would have been activated Friday. He won’t be available to pitch on back to back days until after two outings and days off following, he said.

Hendriks is as intense as they come but he said the key for the Sox, who lost six of their last eight games before Friday, is to “fall in love with the game” again.

“If we can play our kind of baseball, go out there and have fun and enjoy the game again we’ll be just fine because the talent level in this clubhouse, we know what we need to do but we need to fall in love with the game again,” Hendriks said. “Unfortunately some guys, in those tough stretches, you fall out of love with the game, you start pressing and pushing, but that never works. You have to go back to the basics, falling in love with the game, supporting everybody. That’s what’s going to get us back.”

Hendriks saw it during the Sox’ 11-4 rout of the Angels Tuesday. Then they lost 4-1 Wednesday.

“I don’t think it went away in [that] game, you’re just not going to win every game no matter how good your vibes are.”

Eloy in left — at Charlotte

Eloy Jimenez played the outfield for the first time in his rehab assignment, but there is no timetable for his return.

“He’s getting more comfortable with his legs, with his hamstring,” assistant general manager Chris Getz said. “You see it with the running times down the first base line and some of the sprint work we’ve been doing, so the arrow is pointing up.”

Jimenez had surgery to repair a torn hamstring tendon behind his right knee April 26 and had one setback on his rehab assignment. Getz said the leg is not affecting his swing. Jimenez, who walked three times Friday, is batting .196 with one homer in 14 games for Charlotte.

“We haven’t seen that,” Getz said. “He’ll find his groove. It comes with consistency. Get in the outfield [Friday night] and see where it goes from there. Got to get him comfortable out there.”

Said manager Tony La Russa: “I’d be surprised if he got back in the early parts of next week. I don’t think he’s that close. But he’s improving.”

Cueto misses San Francisco

As timing would have it, right-hander Johnny Cueto’s turn falls Monday when the Sox open a series against the Twins, preventing him from pitching in San Francisco, where he pitched the last six seasons.

“It would have been fun,” said Cueto signed a six-year, $130 million contract before the 2016 season.

“Fans and teammates treated me well there.”

Cueto won 18 games, pitched five complete games, posted a 2.76 ERA and made his second All-Star appearance in 2016. He had arm trouble the next two years, including Tommy John Surgery in 2018. His 2021 season – 21 starts and a 4.08 ERA while dealing with lat, flexor and elbow strains — was his best since 2017. But interest in the free agent market was limited last winter, and he would sign a minor league deal with the Sox.

At age 36, Cueto has been a find with a 3.33 ERA in eight starts and one five-inning relief appearance. He ranks sixth on the Sox in Baseball Reference wins above replacement.

“There were a few teams that were interested in me, but they weren’t offering a good deal,” Cueto said. “And they were offering me just a spot for the bullpen.

“I’ve been a starter for my whole career. I have my routine as a starter. I know what I have to do to prepare for the games. Once you know you aren’t able to make it as a starter, then you go to the bullpen. That’s not my case.”

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Could Christopher Morel play the role of a younger Ben Zobrist? It’s a strong possibility, Cubs manager David Ross said.

”I’d say, in my eye, the value is his flexibility,” Ross said Friday.

And as long as Morel continues to produce, he’ll remain in the lineup for the foreseeable future.

Morel hit his third home run in as many games — a tying two-run shot in the sixth inning — that helped vault the Cubs to a 6-5 comeback victory against the Red Sox.

Morel, 23, became the first Cubs rookie to hit a homer in three consecutive games since Frank Schwindel on Sept. 3-5, 2021. He has hit safely in eight of his last 14 plate appearances, and he’s batting .326 (15-for-46) with three doubles, three homers and eight RBI in his last 10 games.

But his versatility played an instrumental role in allowing Ross to navigate the Cubs back from a 4-0 deficit. Morel started at second base before moving to center field after pinch hitter Nico Hoerner stayed in the game at shortstop after drawing a bases-loaded walk that gave the Cubs their first lead in the sixth. Andrelton Simmons moved from short to second.

”You feel like it’s a one-man bench,” Ross said of Morel, who has started 29 games in center, nine at second, one at third and one at short and also can play left and right.

Morel didn’t disappoint, as he fired a throw to first base to complete a double play in the fourth and nearly robbed Trevor Story of a hit with a diving stop in the sixth.

With teams employing 13-man pitching staffs, versatility has become a necessity. And with the Cubs in the midst of auditions as they try to construct their ballyhooed ”next great Cubs team,” Morel’s versatility and ability to adjust quickly to opposing pitchers at a young age mean two fewer questions team officials have to answer.

”That flexibility is super-valuable, and the fact [Morel] has been very clean on the

infield so far with the limited looks we’ve got, it’s fun for me to mix and match as best we can,” Ross said. ”And going forward, it’s very valuable in today’s game.”

And very valuable for the Cubs as they try to determine which young players are worthy of being a part of their future.

For instance, Morel’s ability to play center has allowed the Cubs to assess their options at second, third and short.

Top prospect Brennen Davis was projected to join the Cubs around this time. But Davis got off to a slow start at Triple-A Iowa before having season-ending back surgery.

Morel has taken advantage of every opportunity, as evidenced by his strong throw from center to home plate to nail a Reds baserunner Wednesday.

The least of the Cubs’ current worries is Hoerner at short. But they might be tempted to dip into a lucrative free-agent market next winter, with shortstops such as Carlos Correa, Dansby Swanson, Trea Turner and Xander Bogaerts likely available.

Or they could shift their attention to another position.

Morel started his pro career as a shortstop before moving around the infield and playing more frequently in the outfield last season. He joined the Cubs in May.

His versatility caught the attention of catcher Willson Contreras, who started his career as a third baseman before developing into a two-time All-Star behind the plate.

”It’s good to have a player who can play different positions but catcher,” Contreras quipped. ”Having his energy around the field is contagious. And I’m really proud of the work he’s done, and Ross is doing a great job of the way he’s using him.”

Morel said he relishes his various assignments, just as Zobrist did during a 14-year career that ended with the Cubs (2016-19).

”That’s why I work on it every single day, every position,” Morel said. ”Anywhere they need me, that’s what I’m there for — the team.”

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Bears general manager Ryan Poles’ overhaul of the staff at Halas Hall included dismissing one of the men who helped hire him: LaMar “Soup” Campbell, the vice president of player engagement.

The organization dismissed Campbell this week, a source said, ending a run with the Bears that began in 2015. He survived the transition from John Fox to Matt Nagy, but will not be around for the Matt Eberflus era.

Campbell, 45, played defensive back at Wisconsin and played for the Lions from 1998 through ’02 before pursuing post-playing careers in player development and business.

Bears chairman George McCaskey appointed Campbell to the hiring committee when the Bears began their search for a new general manager and coach in January, saying he trusted him to be the voice of players in the interview process. He supported Poles’ hiring, according to McCaskey, who called it a unanimous decision.

Nagy leaned on Campbell more than ever after the George Floyd murder in 2020 as the locker room processed the country’s uptick in racial tension.

“He does a really, really good job of understanding what these players are going through on a daily basis, not even just in 2020 but in prior years,” Nagy said at the time. “He builds unbelievably great relationships with him. They trust. They understand.

“He’s the conduit to making this thing go in times like this. We rely on him. We listen toSoup. We take advice from him, we balance it and then we put it all together. We wouldn’t be here without him.”

The Bears still listed Campbell in his former position on their website as of Friday evening.

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Rudy Gobert has been traded by the Utah Jazz to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a massive package of players and draft picks, a person with knowledge of the blockbuster deal said.

Utah is getting four first-round picks between 2023 and 2029, along with Patrick Beverley, Malik Beasley and a first-round pick this year in Walker Kessler, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on Friday on condition of anonymity because the NBA had not approved the deal and neither team could announce it publicly.

ESPN, which first reported the trade, also said Jarred Vanderbilt was going from Minnesota to Utah as part of the deal for Gobert.

It ushers in the end of an era for the Jazz, and perhaps the start of one for the Timberwolves — who will have perhaps the best 1-2 big-man punch in the league with Karl-Anthony Towns and Gobert together now.

Gobert — a three-time defensive player of the year — spent his first nine NBA seasons in Utah, and the Jazz went to the playoffs in each of the last six seasons. But his relationship with guard Donovan Mitchell was always scrutinized and a series of disappointing playoff exits led to the annual question of whether the two could coexist on a title-contending team.

Minnesota struck the deal less than 24 hours after coming to an agreement on a $224 million, four-year extension with Towns, who is now under contract for the next six years.

Gobert has four years and $170 million left on a five-year, $205 million deal he signed with the Jazz last summer.

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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 mostly cloudy with a high near 81 degrees and a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Tonight clouds will move in and the temperature will dip to 65 degrees. Saturday and Sunday will see clear skies with highs near 84 and 85 degrees respectively. And the sun will be shining on Independence Day with a high near 87 and a chance of thunderstorms.

Top story

Judge looks to Supreme Court gun ruling as he weighs whether to shoot down Chicago ban on laser sights

Chicago’s little-known ban on possessing laser gun sights is coming under new court scrutiny after the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision striking down a key provision of a New York concealed-carry law.

U.S. District Judge Robert Dow Jr. has asked lawyers involved in a Chicago gun-rights lawsuit to offer arguments on whether last month’s Supreme Court ruling applies to city ordinances that prohibit the possession of laser sights for firearms in Chicago.

Dow has given the lawyers until mid-July to respond in the case, Second Amendment Arms v. Chicago, which was filed in 2010 by a gun dealer in an effort to overturn the city’s ban on gun stores operating in Chicago.

In a separate case, another federal judge in Chicago struck down that gun-store ban in 2014.

Because the ban was overturned, Dow ruled that Second Amendment Arms wasn’t entitled to compensatory damages from City Hall.

But the judge still is deciding another issue in the case: whether Chicago’s separate laser-sight ban is constitutional.

On Monday, he wrote that “the court is particularly interested in whether the parties believe that the Supreme Court’s framework impacts the analysis and/or result on the laser-sight issue.”

On June 23, in the case New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 to overturn a regulation that prevented people in New York from getting concealed-carry licenses unless they could show they have a special need.

Justice Clarence Thomas, in the majority opinion in the New York case, wrote: “To justify a firearm regulation the government must demonstrate that the regulation is consistent with the nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.”

A key legal question remaining in the current Chicago gun case is whether the right to “bear arms” extends to laser sights.

Frank Mainhas more on the future of the laser sights ban here.

More news you need

Authorities say a Chicago police officer’s condition is “serious but stable” after he was shot while answering a domestic disturbance call in University Village this morning. When he stepped off an elevator, he was ambushed and shot multiple times, according to police.Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the shooting was another example of the “significant surge” over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic in domestic violence-related calls and the havoc those calls create. “Domestic-related” homicides by firearm and non-fatal shootings have increased by a staggering 125% since 2019, our Fran Spielman reports.Concerned South Shore activists gathered to voice their anger and sadness after a 5-month-old baby was shot in the neighborhood last week. Cecilia Thomas was killed during a drive-by shooting in the 7700 block of South Shore Drive.Norvell Meadows, a 19-year-old beloved father, community member and athlete, was fatally shot yesterday on the West Side. An All-City high school basketball player at Orr and Prosser, Meadows was “one of those kids that it is hard not to love,” one of his coaches said.Family, friends and fans are also mourning the loss of Dennis Cahill, a guitar great and virtuoso of Irish traditional music, who died at age 68. After growing up on the South Side playing guitar in rock groups and wedding bands, he went on to achieve worldwide fame and headline concerts around the world.A Chicago man today admitted his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, pleading guilty to charges that could result in up to six months in prison. Records show Athanasios Zoyganeles often posted about his intentions to storm the Capitol online, writing in one instance, “They can’t stop a million people.”For years, the Urban Prep Charter Academies charter school network in Chicago has gotten national attention for getting 100% of its graduates admitted to college. But Urban Prep has been mired in such deep financial trouble that CPS officials say they have “grave concerns” about its sustainability, WBEZ’s Sarah Karp reports.

A bright one

‘Billiken,’ new short film about Chicago’s Bud Billiken Parade, spotlights parade’s young dancers

Around 10 p.m. on a recent night, Wills Glasspiegel went to the Merchandise Mart to test-run “Billiken,” a new, eight-minute art film he co-directed with Shkunna Stewart, with animation by Brandon K. Calhoun.

He wasn’t preparing the film for a screening inside a theater. He was getting ready for something bigger, with the movie to be projected onto the mammoth, 340,000-square-foot facade of the Merchandise Mart.

Selected as the centerpiece of Art on theMART’s summer programming, “Billiken,” which premiered Thursday, will be projected onto the outside of the Merchandise Mart every night through Sept. 7.

Young dancers featured in the movie — from teams including The Jesse White Tumblers, Dance Force, Geek Squad and Bringing Out Talent Dance Co. — were there for the opening.

“Billiken” honors the youth dancers of the Bud Billiken Parade, the largest and longest-running African American parade in the United States. Started in 1929, the parade, which goes down South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Bronzeville, heralds the start of the back-to-school season.

On the night of Glasspiegel’s test screening at the Mart, “There happened to be some kids out there with their mom, and they were dancing at the end of the projection, kind of a continuation of it,” he said.

“That’s when I knew it was done. It was making people dance. It’s doing a good thing for the city.”

WBEZ’s Isabella DeLeo has more on the “Billiken” film here.

From the press box

The Bulls and Zach LaVine have agreed to a $215.2 million, five-year contract, Joe Cowley reports.Time will only tell what the Bulls get for the money invested in LaVine, writes Rick Morrissey. In his latest column, Jeff Agrest lists the Chicago rivalries he thinks are worthy of documentary treatment.In light of MLB commissioner Rob Manfred’s comments about wanting robo umps in the big leagues, Maddie Lee spoke with the Cubs about their reactions to the plan.

Your daily question ?

What’s the key to a perfect BBQ?

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

Yesterday, we asked you: What’s the best park in Chicago?

Here’s what some of you said…

“Calumet Park on the far Southeast Side. Lakefront view, beach, walking paths and the Southeast Chicago History Museum in the iconic field house. Oh, and the Station Calumet U.S. Coast Guard!” –Wayne Garritano

“I prefer the Lakefront by the planetarium. I always liked that spot overlooking the whole Chicago skyline.” — Frederick Darrin

“Gill Park! All are welcome, including our pets and there is a pool there and lots of fun playground equipment for the babies. Steps from Lake Michigan and breezy in the summer. Movies in the park are cool for a nice evening with the family. Gill Park is the greatest.” — Ashabi Tanze

“Milton Lee Olive Park near Navy Pier is great. It’s this hidden-in-plain-sight little place no one seems to know about. It’s quiet and a wonderful place to just ignore the rest of the world. (Even with DLSD 50 yards away.)” — Julia B. Meyer

“Ellis Park. We party in peace and the kids can play in peace.” –Tyree Beamteam

“Sherman Park — got everything plus a library.” –Dennis Novak

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