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High school football schedule: Week 9

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Wednesday, October 19

RED NORTH-CENTRAL

Steinmetz vs. Senn at Winnemac, 3:45

Thursday, October 20

RED CENTRAL

Rowe-Clark vs. Pritzker at Lane, 7:15

Woodlawn vs. Hansberry at Stagg, 3:45

RED NORTH-CENTRAL

Lake View vs. Von Steuben at Winnemac, 3:45

RED SOUTH-CENTRAL

Dunbar at Perspectives, 7

RED SOUTHEAST

Comer vs. Vocational at Eckersall, 3:45

South Shore vs. Corliss at Gately, 7:15

RED WEST

Kennedy vs. Little Village at Rockne, 4:15

Raby vs. Bulls Prep at Rockne, 7:15

BLUE CENTRAL

Noble Street vs. Golder at Lane, 4:15

DUPAGE VALLEY

Naperville North at Naperville Central, 7

Neuqua Valley at Metea Valley, 7

Waubonsie Valley at DeKalb, 7

SOUTH SUBURBAN BLUE

Hillcrest at Oak Forest, 6

Lemont at TF South, 6

TF North at Tinley Park, 6

SOUTH SUBURBAN RED

Evergreen Park at Argo, 6

Reavis at Richards, 7

Shepard at Eisenhower, 7

WEST SUBURBAN GOLD

Hinsdale South at Addison Trail, 6

Morton at Willowbrook, 7:30

WEST SUBURBAN SILVER

York at Oak Park-River Forest, 6

NONCONFERENCE

Oak Lawn at Bremen, 6

Young vs. Hubbard at Gately, 4:15

Friday, October 21

RED CENTRAL

UIC Prep at Speer, 7:15

RED NORTH-CENTRAL

Schurz vs. Sullivan at Winnemac, 3:45

RED SOUTHEAST

Goode vs. Dyett at Eckersall, 3:45

Julian vs. Carver at Gately, 4:15

RED WEST

Lincoln Park vs. Crane at Rockne, 7:15

North Lawndale vs. Payton at Lane, 4:15

CCL-ESCC BLUE

Marist at Brother Rice, 7

CCL-ESCC GREEN

Nazareth vs. Benet at Benedictine, 7

Notre Dame at St. Rita, 7:30

CCL-ESCC ORANGE

Montini at Joliet Catholic, 7:30

St. Laurence at Providence, 7:30

CCL-ESCC PURPLE

Carmel at Marian Catholic, 7:30

CCL-ESCC WHITE

Marmion at De La Salle, 7

St. Ignatius vs. Fenwick at Triton, 7:30

CENTRAL SUBURBAN NORTH

Deerfield at Niles North, 7

Highland Park at Maine West, 6:30

Maine East at Vernon Hills, 6

CENTRAL SUBURBAN SOUTH

Evanston at Glenbrook South, 7

Glenbrook North at Niles West, 7

New Trier at Maine South, 7

DUKANE

Geneva at Lake Park, 7:30

St. Charles East at Wheaton North, 7

St. Charles North at Batavia, 7

Wheaton-Warrenville South at Glenbard North, 7

FOX VALLEY

Burlington Central at McHenry, 7

Crystal Lake Central at Prairie Ridge, 7

Crystal Lake South at Huntley, 7

Dundee-Crown at Jacobs, 7

Hampshire at Cary-Grove, 7

ILLINOIS CENTRAL EIGHT

Coal City at Streator, 7

Herscher at Reed-Custer, 7

Lisle at Peotone, 7

Manteno at Wilmington, 7

KISHWAUKEE BLUE

Harvard at Johnsburg, 7

Plano at Marengo, 7

Richmond-Burton at Rochelle, 7

KISHWAUKEE WHITE

LaSalle-Peru at Kaneland, 7

Morris at Sycamore, 7

Woodstock at Ottawa, 7

MID-SUBURBAN EAST

Buffalo Grove at Hersey, 7

Elk Grove at Wheeling, 7

Prospect at Rolling Meadows, 7

MID-SUBURBAN WEST

Barrington at Fremd, 7:30

Hoffman Estates at Palatine, 7:30

Schaumburg at Conant, 7:30

NORTH SUBURBAN

Lake Forest at Mundelein, 7

Lake Zurich at Waukegan, 7

Libertyville at Stevenson, 7

Zion-Benton at Warren, 7

NORTHERN LAKE COUNTY

Antioch at Round Lake, 7

Grant at North Chicago, 7

Grayslake Central at Lakes, 7

Wauconda at Grayslake North, 7

SOUTHLAND

Kankakee at Crete-Monee, 6

Thornwood at Thornridge, 5

SOUTHWEST PRAIRIE EAST

Joliet Central at Plainfield Central, 6:30

Joliet West at Plainfield South, 7

Romeoville at Plainfield East, 7

SOUTHWEST PRAIRIE WEST

Minooka at West Aurora, 7

Oswego East at Plainfield North, 7

Yorkville at Oswego, 7

UPSTATE EIGHT

Elgin at Glenbard South, 7

Fenton at East Aurora, 7

Glenbard East at Bartlett, 7

South Elgin at Streamwood, 7:30

West Chicago at Larkin, 7

VERMILION VALLEY NORTH

Clifton Central at Momence, 7

Dwight at Seneca, 7

Watseka at Iroquois West, 7

NONCONFERENCE

Aurora Christian at Wheaton Academy, 7:30

Chicago Christian at Ridgewood, 7:15

Clark vs. Curie at Rockne, 4:15

DePaul Prep at Marian Central, 7:30

Homewood-Flossmoor at Lincoln-Way West, 7:30

Lincoln-Way East at Bradley-Bourbonnais, 7

Lockport at Andrew, 7

Ottawa Marquette at Sherrard, 7

Phillips vs. Kenwood at Lane, 7:15

Riverside-Brookfield at Bishop McNamara, 7:15

Sandburg at Lincoln-Way Central, 7:30

St. Edward at Elmwood Park, 6

St. Francis at IC Catholic, 7:15

Stagg at Bolingbrook, 7

Taft vs. Morgan Park at Gately, 7:15

Walther Christian at Christ the King, 7:30

Westmont at Aurora Central, 7

Woodstock North at Hope Academy, 7:30

Saturday, October 22

RED CENTRAL

Catalyst-Maria vs. Rauner at Lane, 1

RED NORTH-CENTRAL

Amundsen vs. Mather at Winnemac, 1

RED SOUTH-CENTRAL

Bogan vs. King at Eckersall, 10 a.m.

Chicago Richards vs. Ag. Science at Gately, 10 a.m.

UP-Bronzeville vs. Hyde Park at Eckersall, 1

BLUE CENTRAL

Butler vs. Noble Academy at Lane, 10 a.m.

Longwood vs. Muchin at Rockne, 1

CCL-ESCC BLUE

Mount Carmel at Loyola, 1:30

CCL-ESCC PURPLE

St. Viator vs. St. Patrick at Triton, 1

SOUTHLAND

Bloom at Thornton, noon

WEST SUBURBAN GOLD

Leyden at Downers Grove South, 1

WEST SUBURBAN SILVER

Downers Grove North at Lyons, noon

Glenbard West at Hinsdale Central, noon

NONCONFERENCE

Lane vs. Simeon at Gately, 1

Proviso East at Proviso West, 1

Rich Township vs. Leo at St. Rita, 1

Westinghouse at Brooks, 1

Read More

High school football schedule: Week 9 Read More »

Firefighter among 6 hospitalized after crash on Eisenhower Expressway

A firefighter was among six people hospitalized after a crash on the Eisenhower Expressway, according to Chicago Fire Department officials.

The firefighter was taken to the Rush University Medical Center, where he was in fair-to-serious condition, officials said.

Five others were taken to Stroger and Mount Sinai Hospitals, officials said. Their conditions ranged from fair to critical.

Six others at the scene refused medical attention, authorities said.

Further information wasn’t immediately available.

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Firefighter among 6 hospitalized after crash on Eisenhower Expressway Read More »

Bulls guard Zach LaVine feeling like knee problems are behind him

It was Zach LaVine’s damned if you do, damned if you don’t moment.

Late into the 2021-22 campaign, the Bulls guard was entering his first offseason as being an unrestricted free agent with a huge payday awaiting, but also finally being on a team that was playoff bound for the first time in his eight-year career.

All the while, his injured left knee was betraying him on a daily basis.

His choice was to play through it, publicly downplay the severity even at the cost of performance, and deal with the consequences.

“Me at 80%, 70%, whatever it is, I’m still one of the best players in the NBA and damn sure one of the best players on the court when we play,” LaVine insisted last March.

Admirable, but not entirely true, as he wasn’t even the best player on his own team in that second half.

The Sun-Times reported in April that LaVine was actually operating closer to 50%, as the source went on to say that getting him ready for games was an almost all-day procedure.

Fast forward to the start of this upcoming NBA season, and LaVine sounded like a man that had a bunch of weight lifted off his shoulders.

Then again, getting a max contract for $215 million over the next five years has that effect.

“I just feel good,” LaVine told reporters after playing in three of the four preseason games.

And not just because of his new tax bracket, but because of the cleanup surgery last spring that now has him playing basketball without limitations.

“I think that’s been the main thing, not having any aches and pains, and being able to go out there and really play without any limitations in my own mind, like, ‘OK, I can’t go left,’ or ‘I might not be able to dunk on this play.’ ” LaVine said. “You’re not supposed to be thinking that way when you play basketball. I dealt with that a lot last year.”

And it showed.

LaVine came out of the 2021 summer with Team USA looking like a player that finally understood the importance of dominating on the offensive end, but also being an irritant on the other side of the floor.

In his Olympic run to a gold medal, LaVine’s role on that team was to pick the opposing guard up full-court and disrupt the offense.

A mindset that he kept at the start of the Bulls season.

Between LaVine, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso, the Bulls backcourt started off last year as a nightly headache for the opposition. Whether it was turning teams over and getting out in transition or simple deflections to mess up the timing, the Bulls were among the top of both the steals and deflections categories.

By the end of November, however, LaVine’s left knee started acting up, and his defensive numbers plummeted each month after that.

With the surgery and rehab now in his rear view mirror, there are still question marks entering the tip-off with the Heat in Miami, as well as no clear-cut plan on how LaVine and the coaching staff will handle his workload this year.

“I’m going to still do some maintenance,” LaVine said of the knee. “That’s just the truth about it. I’m going to have to manage it and go through different things before and after practice to make sure I’m feeling good every day, but that’s life in basketball and guys get older – I’ve had two knee surgeries now – and I have to understand that I have to do the little extra things to make sure I’m feeling my best every game.”

What will this latest version of LaVine exactly look like on both ends of the floor? Wednesday night on South Beach will be a good place to start answering that question.

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High school football: Michael O’Brien’s Super 25 rankings for Week 9

Week 8 may have been the dullest week of the season. There weren’t any matchups between ranked teams other than Simeon vs. Morgan Park. It’s the calm before the storm.

Today’s task was simple. Almost everything stayed the same. Neuqua Valley drops out after losing 14-0 to DeKalb. Morgan Park is gone after losing to Simeon.

Brother Rice makes its season debut. I knew the Crusaders belonged after watching them beat Joliet Catholic last week but couldn’t squeeze them in until now. Every team in the CCL/ESCC Blue is ranked in the Super 25.

Sycamore is the other new entry. I was impressed with the Spartans when I saw them play Fenwick in the playoffs last season and have been keeping an eye on them. Sycamore’s 35-7 win against DeKalb in Week 1 looks even more impressive now.

South Elgin, Wauconda, Reed-Custer and Richmond-Burton are all unbeaten and outside the Super 25.

Week 9’s Super 25

1. Mount Carmel (8-0) 1Saturday at No. 2 Loyola

2. Loyola (8-0) 2Saturday vs. No. 1 Mount Carmel

3. Lincoln-Way East (8-0) 3Friday at Bradley-Bourbonnais

4. York (8-0) 4Thursday at Oak Park

5. Simeon (8-0) 5Saturday vs. Lane at Gately

6. Glenbard West (7-1) 6Saturday at Hindale Central

7. Hersey (8-0) 7Friday vs. Buffalo Grove

8. Lemont (8-0) 8Thursday at TF South

9. Prospect (7-1) 9Friday at Rolling Meadows

10. Marist (5-3) 10Friday at Brother Rice

11. St. Rita (6-2) 11Friday vs. Notre Dame

12. Warren (7-1) 12Friday vs. Zion-Benton

13. Maine South (6-2) 13Friday vs. New Trier

14. Crete-Monee (6-2) 14Friday vs. No. 19 Kankakee

15. Prairie Ridge (7-1) 16Friday vs. Crystal Lake Central

16. St. Charles North (7-1) 17Friday at No. 18 Batavia

17. Wheaton North (7-1) 18Friday vs. St. Charles East

18. Batavia (6-2) 19Friday vs. No. 16 St. Charles North

19. Kankakee (7-1) 20Friday at No. 14 Crete-Monee

20. Lake Zurich (7-1) 21Friday at Waukegan

21. Plainfield North (8-0) 22Friday vs. Oswego East

22. Naperville Central (6-2) 23Friday vs. Naperville North

23. Brother Rice (5-3) NRFriday vs. No. 10 Marist

24. St. Francis (8-0) 25Friday at IC Catholic

25. Sycamore (8-0) NRFriday vs. Morris

Read More

High school football: Michael O’Brien’s Super 25 rankings for Week 9 Read More »

Listen to The Ben Joravsky Show

Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky riffs on the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty, and interviews politicians, activists, journalists and other political know-it-alls. Presented by the Chicago Reader, the show is available by 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays at chicagoreader.com/joravsky—or wherever you get your podcasts. Don’t miss Oh, What a Week!–the Friday feature in which Ben & producer Dennis (aka, Dr. D.) review the week’s top stories. Also, bonus interviews drop on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. 

Chicago Reader podcasts are recorded on Shure microphones. Learn more at Shure.com.

With support from our sponsors

Chicago Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky discusses the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty on The Ben Joravsky Show.


MAGA flip-flops

Men from Blago to Bolduc are trying to sing a new song.


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Tom Brady won’t retire to save marriage. That’s the allure of sports.

Every once in a while, real life intrudes on sports in a way that makes me smile, not because I’m drawn to darkness but because it brings out a type of reporting not typically seen in the sports pages.

Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and his wife, supermodel Gisele Bundchen, reportedly are having marital problems. A sportswriter would make note of that out of journalistic duty but only in the context of how the stress might affect Brady’s play each week. What the exasperated scribe really would like to ask is what any of this nonsense has to do with zone coverage or a particularly nasty defensive line.

Here’s what Us Weekly wrote about the matter:

“Gisele and Tom’s friends are upset at Tom for going back on his word and coming out of retirement. They hate the way Tom is refusing to bend for Gisele.”

Every quote in every gossip story ever written has had the exact same tone. In fact, I think the same “friend” is commenting on the Khardashians, Prince Harry, and now Tom and Gisele. Brady’s refusal to bend on retirement might sound bad for the relationship, but I’m here to tell you that the situation has taken an ominous turn. The other day, Bundchen reacted to a social media post from Jay Shetty, whom Us Weekly referred to as a “purpose coach.” On an unrelated note, I love this country.

“You can’t be in a committed relationship with someone who is inconsistent with you,” Shetty posted. “Read that again.”

Not only did Bundchen “like” the post, she replied with the prayer hands emoji. The hands were next-level stuff.

I can save everybody, gossip writer and sportswriter alike, a lot of time and trouble. The first thing to understand is that professional athletes tend to be selfish and self-centered. The second is that none of them want to retire. That Brady is 45 doesn’t lessen any of that. So it doesn’t matter what the couple’s friends say about him or what a guru has to say about a healthy relationship.

Brady wanted to keep playing football, which is why he unretired soon after retiring following the 2021 season, much to the frustration of Bundchen. She and her two children should be frustrated, but why did they expect anything different from him? Because he said things would be different? The word this guy has used most in his life is “hut.”

Longevity is a decent possibility in many professions but not in professional sports. The competitive window is open a crack for most athletes, until it closes on their fingers, and then, well, it was good knowing you. The rest of life is staring at them at 30. Retirement is hard enough for everyday people wondering what comes after 65.

Thanks to advances in equipment, nutrition and training methods, more athletes are able to stay competitive into their mid- to late 30s. Then there’s Brady, who seems to have made it his life’s work to look and act young. He’s in his 23rd NFL season. He helped the Buccaneers win a Super Bowl in the 2020 season. It was his seventh title. You say he looks young, I say he looks like he’s been dipped in wax but let’s agree that whatever he’s doing, it’s working.

For all the time and energy we humans spend being envious of sports stars’ lives, cars and money, theirs is a strange existence post-career. To have what you do best taken away from you because the calendar keeps moving – not because you did anything wrong – seems cruel.

I’m guessing that many of you are saying you’d love to have their unconventional lives. And their mansions. But after retirement, what would you do with that thing you do best? Where do you put it? In a basketball league at the YMCA? In a flag-football league at the park? Or in a trophy case in the basement? It’s weird, and maybe the weirdest part is that you know the end is coming even in the earliest stages of your career. It’s out there like an escaped killer. There’s a short shelf life to what you do. If you’re really, really good and really, really lucky, it’ll match the life expectancy of a beagle.

For many of us, graduating from college means the party’s over. Now what? A job. Responsibility. It’s different for retired athletes. The party’s over, but there’s no need for a job. Someone else, usually a spouse, already handles the day-to-day responsibilities, such as raising the children.

It’s why the same question – now what? – can be terrifying.

Many athletes hang on way too long because they have absolutely no idea what to do with themselves outside of their sport. They have no other skills or can’t imagine having any other skills. Their gift is how they make their money, but it’s more than that. It’s their essence, their identity. So in a blink, they go from being a big deal to someone who isn’t quite as big a deal anymore. They play in celebrity golf tournaments. They appear at autograph shows. Some stay close to their sport through coaching, management or broadcasting. They’re near the limelight, can reach out and touch it, but they can’t perform in it.

My reaction to “The Last Dance,” the 2020 ESPN documentary about Michael Jordan, was how alone he seems all these years later. Alone in his accomplishments. Alone in his need to be recognized as the best ever. Alone as the owner of the Hornets. Nothing can fill the hole of his playing career, so he keeps fighting to keep the memory of it alive.

We were blessed to witness it, just as we’re blessed to be able to witness the last years of Brady’s career. When it’s over, we’ll move on. Can he?

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Tom Brady won’t retire to save marriage. That’s the allure of sports. Read More »

Listen to The Ben Joravsky ShowBen Joravskyon October 16, 2022 at 7:01 am

Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky riffs on the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty, and interviews politicians, activists, journalists and other political know-it-alls. Presented by the Chicago Reader, the show is available by 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays at chicagoreader.com/joravsky—or wherever you get your podcasts. Don’t miss Oh, What a Week!–the Friday feature in which Ben & producer Dennis (aka, Dr. D.) review the week’s top stories. Also, bonus interviews drop on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. 

Chicago Reader podcasts are recorded on Shure microphones. Learn more at Shure.com.

With support from our sponsors

Chicago Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky discusses the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty on The Ben Joravsky Show.


MAGA flip-flops

Men from Blago to Bolduc are trying to sing a new song.


Just like we told you

The Bears finally make their play for public money to build their private stadium.


The choice is yours, voters

MAGA’s Illinois Supreme Court nominees are poised to outlaw abortion in Illinois—if, gulp, they win.

Read More

Listen to The Ben Joravsky ShowBen Joravskyon October 16, 2022 at 7:01 am Read More »

Second quarter blues is killing the Chicago Bears

Struggles during the 2nd quarter offer a window into the woes of the Chicago Bears for this season

After six games, the Chicago Bears find themselves saddled with a losing record at 2-4, even though each of the past three contests was a winnable game.

There’s plenty of debate about the reasons for the Bears’ current struggles. However, one odd factor in this slump is the team’s futility once the second quarter gets underway.

Moving from one side of the field to the other shouldn’t bring with it a burdensome struggle. Yet, once the second quarter comes around, the Chicago Bears go into hibernation on both sides of the ball.

Numbers Don’t Lie for Chicago Bears

The clearest evidence of this issue can be seen by the fact that the Bears have been outscored 59-13 in the second quarter in their first six games. In half of those contests, they haven’t been able to muster any type of score.

It would be easy to point the finger in the direction of the Bears’ offense, especially given more clear-cut numbers. In their 101 plays from scrimmage during the second quarter thus far, the Bears are averaging just 3.81 yards per play.

However, opponents are averaging 6.20 yards on each play, which means that the Bears’ defense has also had lapses that have put the team in a hole. The contrast in yardage helps explain at least part of the issue involved but not all of the problem.

During the Bears’ first two games of 2022, their yards-per-play average was even lower as they gained just 40 total yards on 25 plays during that fateful second period.

Some how, some way the Chicago Bears won, 19 to 10 over San Francisco in Chicago, today, in Week 1 of the 2022 NFL regular season. In head coach Matt Eberflus first game Chicago, at one point, had only 26 total yards after 20 plays in the second quarter.

That number has since improved but missed opportunities have short-circuited any chance to make an impact on the scoreboard.

For example, a 12-play drive covering 50 yards against the Houston Texans netted only a field goal. The following week, a fumble stopped one drive that had gained 53 yards, while recovery of a fumble in Giants’ territory resulted in a field goal.

Thursday night’s debacle against the Washington Commanders put added emphasis on this struggle when Khalil Herbert’s 64-yard scamper put the ball at the Washington six-yard line. Not long after, a goal-line stand resulted in the Bears once again watching a scoring chance disappear.

This goal line stand means there still has not been a touchdown scored on Thursday night football in the month of October. #Bears #Commanders #NoTouchdownOctober https://t.co/kagN4VNLmY

Looking at the scoring in other quarters finds that the Bears have outscored their opponents in the third quarter, 36-12. That suggests that they’re able to make effective adjustments on both sides of the ball.

Finding a way to quickly adapt at the end of the opening quarter might be a project for the Bears to consider, given that they have over 10 days to figure something out. Whatever playoff visions Matt Eberflus and his Chicago Bears staff might have right now continue to slip away while this problem remains.

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Five questions that will define the 2022-23 Lakers’ seasonon October 16, 2022 at 1:13 pm

When we last saw the Los Angeles Lakers, they were careening out of the playoff picture, losing eight straight games from late March through early April as a fetid topper to a rotten season.

L.A. went from the oddsmakers’ NBA Finals favorite to missing the play-in tournament, as injuries and an ill-conceived roster made for a miserable year.

The fallout was swift.

Just 18 months removed from helping to deliver the franchise’s first title in a decade, Frank Vogel was shown the door. The team’s backend of the roster — many of whom qualified as former stars or former Lakers, or both — was completely overhauled. For the second time in four years since LeBron James committed to the franchise, L.A.’s front office adopted a bunker mentality in the offseason, spending the summer scrambling to fix the mistakes made the previous season.

Rather than blow it all up, however, Lakers governor Jeanie Buss stood by two stakeholders in the operation: James and Rob Pelinka. Both received contract extensions; James inking a deal that will keep him in purple and gold through the 2024-25 season and Pelinka re-upping his deal to remain the vice president of basketball operations and general manager a season beyond that.

James and Pelinka, along with new coach Darvin Ham whom James endorsed during the hiring process, will be tasked with getting the franchise to rediscover the fleeting success it enjoyed in 2020 — success that is supposedly what the Laker brand is all about.

While the flames from last season’s dumpster fire may have been extinguished, there are some potentially troublesome lingering embers that threaten to derail this year’s team all over again.

Here are the five biggest questions the Lakers face for the 2022-23 season:

Illustration by ESPN

No, really, when are they trading Russell Westbrook?

After Westbrook opted in to the final year of his $47.1 million contract in late June, Pelinka got busy working the phones. He hoped to find a trade partner to not only take on Westbrook, but give L.A. back some pieces that could better fit around James and Anthony Davis in the process.

The only problem was that outside of the former MVP’s expiring contract — a big, but potentially useful number for a team hoping to shed long-term salary commitments to free up cap space for free agency hunting in the summer of 2023 and beyond — L.A. didn’t have much else to offer other than their own first-round picks in 2027 and 2029.

The Lakers engaged in trade talks with the Utah Jazz, Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets, sources said, and the conversations often hit a similar snag. Several teams that the Lakers engaged with insisted on L.A. including both of their future first-rounders in a deal; the Lakers were determined to trade only one of the two unless the package would return a can’t-miss-talent such as Donovan Mitchell or Kyrie Irving.

Wednesday, Oct. 19

Knicks vs. Grizzlies, 7:30 p.m.Mavericks vs Suns, 10 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 21

Celtics vs. Heat, 7:30 p.m.Nuggets vs Warriors, 10 p.m.

*All times Eastern

With the Nets uninterested in breaking up their team and the Jazz accepting a major haul from Cleveland for Mitchell, the smaller deals that were discussed stalled out, and L.A. came into training camp with Westbrook on the roster.

L.A. did bake in some insurance by signing Dennis Schroder to a veteran minimum deal in mid-September after expressing interest in the former Laker all summer. The Lakers originally planned to have found a trade partner for Westbrook before signing Schroder, sources said. But after the point guard’s strong showing for Germany in the FIBA EuroBasket tournament generated interest around the league, L.A. signed him before another team could.

The Lakers’ most optimistic outlook for Westbrook is that Ham will get through to him in a way that Vogel couldn’t, and the nine-time All-Star will have a bounce-back season with some better effort defensively and better discretion offensively. Ham closed out the preseason by bringing Westbrook off the bench, a lineup the Lakers will continue to explore during the regular season, sources told ESPN.

Another thought process, perhaps more realistic, is that more and more potential trade partners will open up as teams will be tantalized to join in the tankathon to get to the top of the 2023 NBA draft where a generational talent in Victor Wembanyama and a blue chip prospect in Scoot Henderson await.

Where is the shooting?

L.A. ranked 22nd in the league in 3-point percentage last season and then opened the preseason by shooting 58-for-198 (29.3%) from deep through the first five games.

Pelinka suggested it was a concern on media day by saying, “I think in terms of shooting, that’s a needed skill.”

But if the Lakers are waiting on the ideal Westbrook deal before exploring the trade market to identify a shooter or two, things could continue to look pretty grim from beyond the arc.

Helping the situation are guards Patrick Beverley, a career 37.8% marksman from the outside, and Kendrick Nunn (36.4%). Rookie Cole Swider out of Syracuse hit multiple 3s in multiple games during the preseason. Training camp invitee Matt Ryan hit six 3s against the Golden State Warriors, which could be enough to get him at least a partially-guaranteed contract stay with the team. James, of course, is capable from deep, but his 35.9% on 8.0 attempts last season featured just eight games when he made four 3s or more while making at least half of his attempts.

Davis revealed in training camp that a wrist injury affected his shot last season, and Westbrook declared he will shoot it better and has focused on corner 3s after shooting 23-for-51 (45.1%) from the corners last year. But when you’re talking yourself into that group of shooters, it’s obvious there is something missing.

Ham says that he prefers two-way players who can defend and shoot over 3-point specialists and that by getting stops and running to the right spots in transition, the Lakers can make 3s at an efficient clip with the current roster.

“We want to play fast,” he said. “We want to keep the middle of the floor open and it’s going to be opportunities all over the place.”

What happens if LeBron actually starts to show his age?

LeBron James is set to turn 38 this year. Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports

James is embarking on his 20th season and turns 38 in December. While there is no doubt he has redefined how long a player’s prime can supposedly last — he averaged 30 points last season — injuries have piled up.

After missing just 71 games through his first 15 years in the league, James sat out 84 games in four years since joining the Lakers.

“The focus of my game is being available,” James said on media day, acknowledging the absences by stating his personal goal for the season. “That’s the most important. Obviously some injuries you can’t control, but that’s my whole mindset.”

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With James, not only is it nearly impossible to replace the production he provides when he’s on the court, it’s also a fool’s errand to try to replicate. From his mastery of the game to how opponents strategize to neutralize him, when James misses time, his teams normally nosedive.

If James is limited this season, it could spoil what should be a momentous occasion: him needing 1,326 points to pass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for No. 1 on the all-time scoring list. If the record is broken during another losing season in L.A., the accomplishment will ring hollow.

Can this Lakers squad get consistent stops?

“We’re going be able to get stops. We should be able to be one of the elite defensive teams. We’re going put the work in … we have the personnel for it. And now it’s just all about activating and making it come to fruition.”

On media day, Ham set the defensive bar at “elite” for his team, despite L.A. ranking 21st in defensive efficiency a year ago.

The addition of Beverley and a healthy Davis — a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate when not injured — will help. Younger players with active bodies such as Lonnie Walker IV, Troy Brown Jr., Austin Reaves, Wenyen Gabriel, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones and Max Christie could help, too.

But there still are reasons to be skeptical about the group as a whole, particularly out on the perimeter where James and Westbrook have been spotty at this stage of their careers. James’ preseason showing against the Phoenix Suns, when he was in chasedown block mode, was an encouraging sign of his defensive buy-in, but he saves his energy in bursts for the most part.

Ham laid out his expectations for Westbrook during the preseason, stating in no certain terms that his role will be contingent upon defensive commitment.

“It’s just continuously engaging him and making him understand how beneficial it will be for him to just attack all facets of the game like he does when he’s at the helm and with the ball and orchestrating or doing whatever, putting pressure on the rim. He has to put that type of pressure and energy into different facets of the game,” Ham said. “He gave me his word and he’s an honorable guy, so I anticipate him only getting better.”

Are injuries the only thing that can truly stop Anthony Davis?

Anthony Davis was a centerpiece player in the Lakers’ 2020 NBA championship run, but was injured for most of last season. Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Much like James said his goal is to be available to his teammates this season, Davis shared the sentiment and took it a step further: He wants to play in all 82 games during the regular season.

Apart from missing more games that he played in for the Lakers the last two seasons, there was a sentiment within the team’s front office last season that Davis didn’t look like the franchise player they thought they had coming off the 2020 championship, sources said.

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Davis’ body didn’t cooperate with him already in training camp, with lower back tightness causing him to miss a chunk of time, including half of their preseason games.

Ham has hinted heavily that he will go with Davis as his starting 5 to begin the season, something that Davis has bucked against in the past.

“He knows I’m not going to put him in a situation to get beat up or that he’s not going to be able to excel at his highest form,” Ham said this week. “I’m looking at him more as a weapon for us offensively. Him bringing shot blockers out of the paint. I think he’ll be fine.”

Davis openly accepted playing center when asked about the potential assignment, but acknowledged his prior preference.

“At the end of the day, I trust coach’s decision,” Davis said. “I mean, I’m pretty sure he heard AD wants to play the 4, so he knows where I stand, but at the end of the day, I want to win, so if that’s me playing the 5, that’s what it’s got to be.”

For all the analyzing that can go into this Lakers season, all the different lineup possibilities that can be trotted out, all the potential deals the front office could strike, if Davis can play in more than 85% of the Lakers’ games like he did in his first season in L.A., things start to look mighty rosier for the purple and gold.

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Timo Meier sees ‘bright future ahead’ for Blackhawks’ Philipp Kurashev

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The Blackhawks’ Philipp Kurashev and the Sharks’ Timo Meier were chatting after a Team Switzerland practice during the world championships in May in Finland when they realized something.

Their summer homes in Switzerland were 10 minutes away from each other.

“I was a little surprised when I found out he’s in the same area where I grew up,” Meier said. “It was kind of funny. I told him: ‘Why didn’t you tell me earlier? We could’ve trained together.'”

That’s exactly what ended up happening. The 23-year-old Hawks winger and 26-year-old Sharks winger trained together throughout the offseason in Herisau, a village of about 16,000 residents in the northeast corner of the country.

“We spent almost every day together, just going for lunch and hanging out,” Kurashev said. “We really enjoyed the summer.”

For Meier, the summer was mostly about maintaining the level he reached last season, when he set career highs with 35 goals and 76 points and led the Sharks handily in both categories.

Meier is an established star at this point, and another productive season — even on a Sharks team expected to struggle — could set him up for a sizable raise on his current $6 million salary-cap hit as a restricted free agent next summer.

For Kurashev, however, the idea in the offseason was to prepare himself for a breakout season in 2022-23.

His 37 points in 121 games in his first two NHL seasons don’t jump off the page, but he has shown some intriguing flashes of higher-end upside. His elusiveness, puckhandling ability and vision as a playmaker set him apart from the Hawks’ horde of grinders.

Kurashev is primed to receive plenty of opportunities to take that next step this season. He already is playing on the second power-play unit. And although he has skated on the third line so far at even strength — that slotted him alongside Sam Lafferty and new addition Jason Dickinson on Saturday against the Sharks — a promotion into the top six and even some time next to Patrick Kane would make sense.

“A guy like that should probably be watching [Bruins star Patrice] Bergeron every night,” Hawks coach Luke Richardson recently said of Kurashev. “That’s what he should try to build his game around. A dependable guy on both ends of the rink, play on the power play, play on the [penalty kill] and play against the top lines in the league and be effective.”

Bergeron is an ambitious comparison. But if Kurashev can grow even into a Meier-like player, it would be a massive boon to the Hawks’ rebuild. And Meier sees that potential.

“He has a really good shot, so once he feels comfortable getting in those areas where he can get the shot off and not overthink things, [he can] just let it rip and give it a chance to go in,” Meier said. ”He has an unbelievable skill set. For him, it’s just [about] finding that comfortableness and playing in all three zones. He has a real bright future ahead of him.”

Meier’s 262 even-strength scoring chances last season ranked second in the NHL to the Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews, and many of those were generated by his willingness to drive toward the crease and get in dangerous spots. He helped Kurashev improve in that regard during the offseason.

For the most part, however, they trained as equals. Meier discovered that beneath Kurashev’s reserved outward personality is a tenacious motor, and some of their drills became intense and physical.

“You have to get to know him a little better to see the true personality that’s behind all that,” Meier said. “He’s a competitive guy. He likes to have fun and joke around, but he’s also a guy that’s very, very focused, just like myself.

“We have goals we want to reach, sometimes almost a little too much. We’re both people that sometimes have to take a step back and relax and take a deep breath. In some ways, [with] how we train hard and have visions about where we want to be, we have the same mentality.”

Added Kurashev: “He’s a competitive guy, too. Every small thing, we were competing. Sometimes it got really competitive, but that’s fun. That’s how you learn the most.”

They’ve stayed in close touch since returning to North America for the NHL season, texting with or calling each other most days.

Their schedules didn’t align well enough for a reunion dinner Friday because the Sharks were hosting the Hurricanes while the Hawks enjoyed a day off in San Jose, but they planned to catch up after their teams played Saturday. And they’ll continue following each other’s seasons closely the rest of the way.

“I hope, for him, that it works out,” Meier said. “If he keeps working the way he was this summer, I’m sure Blackhawks fans are going to have fun watching him.”

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