NBA training camps and the 2022-23 season are right around the corner, and players and coaches are set to preview their team’s upcoming campaigns with their respective media days this week.

For some teams, this year’s media day will be the first introduction of some of their big offseason additions. These include the Atlanta Hawks‘ new shooting guard Dejounte Murray, the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ new shooting guard Donovan Mitchell and the Minnesota Timberwolves‘ new center Rudy Gobert. Each of which will meet with reporters for the first time as a member of their new respective squads.

This year’s rookie class will also make their NBA media day debuts. First overall pick Paolo Banchero will get some facetime with Orlando Magic beat reporters fresh off his Summer League performance as he prepares for his first NBA training camp.

The same goes for Jabari Smith Jr. of the Houston Rockets, Keegan Murray of the Sacramento Kings and a handful of other coveted rookies that will be expected to help their teams right away this year.

Then there are some veteran teams that will have some serious questions and concerns to address heading into the season. The Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets, who bear the pressure of being serious win-now contenders this year, got plenty of the media’s attention last year for all the wrong reasons.

ESPN’s countdown of the league’s best players returns for its 12th season. See which stars made the cut, which vaulted to the top and which are sliding down the list.

o NBArank 1-5: International stars on the riseo NBArank 6-10: How far LeBron and KD fello NBArank 11-25: L.A. duo and rising Wolveso NBArank 26-100: Russ, Ben and a host of Qso Debate! LeBron’s ranking and top-10 tweaks

LeBron James and Russell Westbrook will have to explain to Lakers reporters why they will bounce back from last year’s losing campaign.

Meanwhile, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving will have to answer for their spree of off-the-court distractions and offseason of near departures in their first media appearances since their first-round playoff exit last season.

Here’s what players are talking about as media days kick off across the league:

Sept. 26

Popovich gives an insider’s tip

Gregg Popovich has never been one to mince words, but Monday the longtime San Antonio Spurs coach gave the media a little bit of sports betting advice.

“I probably shouldn’t say this,” Gregg Popovich said. “Nobody here should go to [Las] Vegas with the thought of betting on this team to win the championship.”

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The Spurs are clearly headed for a rebuild after finishing the 2021-22 season with a 34-48 record, and trading their leading scorer, Dejounte Murray, to the Atlanta Hawks for three future first-round picks and a swap.

Popovich admitted that Murray’s presence will be missed, but more on a personal level than what he brought to the court.

“I miss him more as person than I do as a player,” Popovich said.

Jimmy Butler on winning a title and making ‘the internet mad’

Jimmy Butler has always been an ultra-competitor, and he reiterated that Monday during the Miami Heat‘s Media Day.

The Heat were on the cusp of an NBA Finals appearance before falling to the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals last season, but Butler is ready to move forward and contend for a title again this season.

“I think that’s why I play this game — to win a championship … ” Butler said. “I really really love what I get the opportunity to do every single day.”

Butler averaged 27.4 points during the 2022 postseason for the Heat but understands that it will take everyone for the team to be successful — including from longtime veteran Udonis Haslem. The team, Butler said, values Haslem’s presence just as much as any coach on the staff.

“The No. 1 thing that he brings is legit, real leadership … He knows what it takes to win,” Butler said about Haslem. “He’s been a champion, and he wants everybody else to feel the same championship-caliber ways.

“New season, new year. I’m excited, I know all the guys are excited … we’ll find a way to get done what we want to get done.”

Speaking of all things new, Butler went viral during the offseason for his new hairstyle — when his hair seemingly “grew” several inches in a few months as he debuted his long locks.

When asked about the response to his new look, Butler said it was exactly what he wanted.

“I’m just messing with stuff to make the internet mad,” he said. “That was my goal this summer and it worked.”

Sept. 25

Giannis says Steph is ‘the best player in the world’

For Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, the debate about the best player in the NBA is simple.

He doesn’t consider himself the current best player in the league because his team fell short of winning the championship last season. So, he was ready to cede that accolade to Warriors star Stephen Curry instead.

“I think the best player in the world is the person that is the last man standing,” Antetokounmpo said Sunday afternoon at Bucks media day. “It’s the person that takes his team to the Finals, the finish line and helps them win the game. … that’s how I view it. I believe the best player in the world is Steph Curry.”

Antetokounmpo, who was named the No.1 player on ESPN’s NBArank, acknowledged that he is one of the best players in the league and could have made the claim for the top spot after the Bucks won the 2021 NBA Finals. But after Milwaukee lost in the second round of the playoffs last season in a seven-game series against the Boston Celtics, he fell short of the claim.

Antetokounmpo also finished third in the voting for NBA MVP after averaging 29.9 points, 11.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists last season, but he pointed out how individual awards failed in comparison to the thrill of winning the NBA Finals.

“The feeling I felt, it was a nice feeling,” he said. “I got jealous of Golden State, seeing them in the parade and the ESPYs. You know that feeling now. You know what is getting stripped away from you.”

— Jamal Collier

Can the Warriors run it back? ‘They want to experience that again’

Following their 2021-22 NBA championship, the Golden State Warriors repeated several times that this title felt different because of their journey through the hardships of the past three seasons. Their fourth championship in eight years was a statement: The dynasty wasn’t over.

Now, the champs are prepared to prove themselves all over again.

“I don’t think it’s the same chip [on our shoulders]. I’d be lying to you if I told you it was. But there are chips. There are chips. There’s no shortage of chips, I can tell you that,” Draymond Green said Sunday. “It may not be quite, ‘Oh, man, people don’t think we can do it again.’ That opinion is as far from relevant as it can possibly be.”

Added Steph Curry: “It’d be dumb to try to naysay us and actually think people are going to take you seriously. But we also know a lot goes into winning a championship and it’s not a guarantee every year, no matter how much of a chip on our shoulder we have. You just kind of embrace the work and the motivation.”

The Warriors feel they still have plenty to motivate them: For the first time in three seasons, they are starting the season fully healthy. They want to show their 2022 title wasn’t a fluke. Perhaps most importantly, their star core knows its championship window won’t remain open forever.

“I mean, the guys coming back who have won it for the first time, I just know they want to experience that again,” Klay Thompson said. “And, I mean, for me personally, and probably Steph and Andre [Iguodala] and Draymond, you think of the players who have won five championships, it’s such a short list. And to have the opportunity, just the opportunity, to be able to do that is so special.”

— Kendra Andrews

Sep. 24

Can Murray and Trae take the Hawks to the next level?

The Hawks are hoping that pairing Murray with their franchise point guard Trae Young can push their backcourt to a championship level. Murray, coming from the San Antonio Spurs, will be playing a major role on a postseason contender for the first time since 2019 when the Spurs made a first-round exit.

Murray and Young know their chemistry will be key to Atlanta’s success, and Murray weighed in a bit about what the team’s approach will look like when he’s on the floor.

“You’re gonna see the ball moving. I think that’s the No. 1 thing — playing the right way. A lot of excitement, playing defense, and like I always said, I love defense and I believe the best offense is getting a stop and getting out and running,” Murray told reporters.

“I’m just excited. We’ve got a lot of weapons around us, dudes that can do a bunch of things. It starts on the defensive end and it will translate to the offensive end, and it will be exciting.”

Porzingis is motivated by his NBArank fall

The Wizards are coming off their fourth straight losing season, but the trade for Kristaps Porzingis at last year’s trade deadline at least gave the franchise a potential franchise piece to build around going forward. Porzingis was on a statistical decline the last few years ever since tearing his in 2018. But had a productive 17-game stint with Washington at the end of last season, in which he averaged 22.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.9 assists, which were reminiscent of his lone All-Star season in 2017-18.

Porzingis came in at No. 86 in this year’s ESPN NBArank, which was his lowest since his rookie season in 2015, and admits that he is using the ranking as motivation this year.

“Especially this year, I’m coming in with a chip on my shoulder because of the ESPN rank.” Porzingis told reporters. “I use it as gasoline, as energy. I’m looking forward to reminding everybody what I can do on both ends of the floor.”

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The Chicago Bears defeated the Houston Texans on Sunday as Texans’ quarterback Davis Mills gift-wrapped an interception to Bears’ linebacker Roquan Smith and the interception return fortunately already put the team in position for the game-winning field goal to be kicked by Cairo Santos.

The Bears are now 2-1 on the season as they prepare to face the New York Giants next Sunday but the week ahead will see uncomfortable conversations surrounding second-year quarterback Justin Fields.

Fields was bad on Sunday against the Texans. Fields being bad on Sunday against the Texans was much different than how Fields was bad against the Green Bay Packers last week.

Unlike the gameplan against the Packers, the Bears tried to set up Fields with easy completions and designed rollouts in the opening series against the Texans on Sunday. The issue is that Fields’ poor footwork and inability to hit on his mechanics prevented him from ever finding a rhythm on Sunday.

Fields completed only 8 passes on 17 attempts while throwing two interceptions that were directly derived from his poor decision-making.

Fields’ apologists will say that the offensive line was not good and point to the five sacks that were allowed. While the offensive line was not great, there were ample plays to be made where Fields could step up in the pocket and deliver the throw to an open receiver. Instead, Fields’ chicken feet often led to an erratic throw.

Fields’ apologist will say that the Bears have a lack of talent and that is why he is struggling. No. Regardless of the names that are on the backs of the Bears’ uniforms, there are open receivers that Fields simply isn’t seeing or overthrowing.

The Chicago Bears won on Sunday against the Houston Texans but Justin Fields’ performance only heightens the concern about the overall rebuild.

Fields’ apologists will say that the Bears have to pass the ball more than 17 times to get a true gauge of where he is as a quarterback. No. Going into the season, the expectation was for the Bears to be a run-oriented offense while creating opportunities for Fields on play-action passes and designed rollouts. Those opportunities were the exact ones that Fields was missing on during Sunday’s victory against the Texans.

Fields does not need apologists. There are going to be games in which Fields is the worst player on the field. Sunday was one of those games. That is why, despite the victory, Sunday was a deflating feeling for the Bears.

Fortunately for the Bears, Fields has yet to have a full season as a starting quarterback in the NFL. Sunday was undoubtedly a step backward in regard to Fields’ efforts to become the franchise quarterback for the Bears but the jury is still out. This conversation will continue on a week-by-week basis for the Bears and Fields no matter how many empty victories the team has.

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With so much focus on the NFL season kicking off and the MLB postseason right around the corner, we cannot forget that the NBA will be tipping off just weeks from now. The Chicago Bulls begin their preseason just a week from Tuesday, believe it or not.

There are still a lot of worries surrounding this Bulls team, especially with how much better other Eastern Conference teams have gotten over the offseason. No bigger concern remains, though, than point guard Lonzo Ball and his health.

But, the Bulls must press on regardless — and, they still have an opportunity to add talent.

Recently, Phoenix Suns veteran forward Jae Crowder took to Twitter in order to express his frustrations with the team. His playing time is likely to decrease even further, with the emergence of Cameron Johnson, and Crowder still believes he has plenty left in the tank at 32 years old.

This tweet is referring to the fact that he and the Suns are going to part ways. Crowder is going to be traded, and the question now is “when” and not “if.”

The veteran swing man was reportedly the center of trade talks over the summer between the Suns and the Utah Jazz, but nothing came to fruition.

The Bulls have certainly needed help on the perimeter when it comes to three-point shooting and perimeter defending. Crowder could give them exactly that. For years now, Crowder has been one of the very best perimeter defenders in all of basketball.

He’s been that glue guy which teams look to in clutch moments to help get a stop, and has also come up big with some key three-point shots in dire situations. Crowder isn’t an elite shooter by any means, but is a career 34.6 percent shooter from beyond the arc. Two of the last three seasons, though, Crowder finished above 38 percent in that department.

The Bulls could likely get Crowder on the cheap, now, due to this being the last year of the veteran’s contract and Phoenix willingly ready to move on. If Chicago could send a player, along with a second rounder, in order to get Crowder, that would be a huge win.

Then, their forward pool could include Patrick Williams, DeMar DeRozan, Javonte Green, Derrick Jones Jr. and Crowder. The depth at that spot would be solidified, and the Bulls would be able to survive an injury much easier than they did a year ago.

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Bikes aren’t cheap—but neither is public transit! If you or someone you know is a Black trans person in Chicago looking for a free bike, sign up for one through the Black Transport Project. BTP begins reviewing applications October 1 and will be supplying bikes on a rolling basis. When your name is drawn, you have five days to respond and coordinate pick-up before the bike is given to someone else. Bikes are located in Bridgeport. Questions about the application or selection process can go to [email protected]. (MC)

Speaking of public transit, I think all us regular transit riders can agree CTA has gotten wildly unpredictable. We’re paying the same money for worsening service. What’s up with that! And when CTA finally admitted they’d reduced running the Blue Line (spoiler: the train I take the most often) to 50-55 percent of its regular schedule without updating the schedule after spending over a year blaming service interruptions on COVID-related staff shortages—wow, that really got my blood boiling! If you’re like me and looking for something to do with that anger, check out Commuters Take Action. This community watchdog group was formed to force city council to take action and improve CTA’s reliability. Instagram is the best way to keep up with their in-person protests, but through their Linktree, Commuters Take Action offer a variety of ways to support the cause, like reporting a ghost bus or train, contacting officials directly, and more. (MC)

Monday Night Foodball serves a clucking delicious menu tonight with the help of Wisconsin’s Avron Farm, a Ripon proponent of regenerative agriculture that can often be found selling their wares at the Green City and Wicker Park farmers’ markets. Tonight from 6-9 PM, join Reader senior writer Mike Sula and Kedzie Inn owner Jon Pokorny as they host Avron, who will offer a menu including chicken and waffles, jumbo pasture-raised chicken wings, and fried okra. Walk-ins welcome on this one; see you soon at 4100 N. Kedzie. (SCJ)

Schubas (3159 N. Southport) presents a free and 21+ Chicago hip-hop infused show tonight as part of their 100% Off series. Reader senior writer Leor Galil tuned us in to the evening’s headliner, Stranded Civilians for his show preview last week. The local duo self-released their latest mixtape, Obsidian, in February, which Galil says is “a joy to listen to, powered by a youthful euphoria that makes it one of the best Chicago hip-hop releases of the year.” Check them out along with openers Mugen! the Human and Linda Sol, starting tonight at 8 PM. (SCJ)

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Bikes aren’t cheap—but neither is public transit! If you or someone you know is a Black trans person in Chicago looking for a free bike, sign up for one through the Black Transport Project. BTP begins reviewing applications October 1 and will be supplying bikes on a rolling basis. When your name is drawn, you have five days to respond and coordinate pick-up before the bike is given to someone else. Bikes are located in Bridgeport. Questions about the application or selection process can go to [email protected]. (MC)

Speaking of public transit, I think all us regular transit riders can agree CTA has gotten wildly unpredictable. We’re paying the same money for worsening service. What’s up with that! And when CTA finally admitted they’d reduced running the Blue Line (spoiler: the train I take the most often) to 50-55 percent of its regular schedule without updating the schedule after spending over a year blaming service interruptions on COVID-related staff shortages—wow, that really got my blood boiling! If you’re like me and looking for something to do with that anger, check out Commuters Take Action. This community watchdog group was formed to force city council to take action and improve CTA’s reliability. Instagram is the best way to keep up with their in-person protests, but through their Linktree, Commuters Take Action offer a variety of ways to support the cause, like reporting a ghost bus or train, contacting officials directly, and more. (MC)

Monday Night Foodball serves a clucking delicious menu tonight with the help of Wisconsin’s Avron Farm, a Ripon proponent of regenerative agriculture that can often be found selling their wares at the Green City and Wicker Park farmers’ markets. Tonight from 6-9 PM, join Reader senior writer Mike Sula and Kedzie Inn owner Jon Pokorny as they host Avron, who will offer a menu including chicken and waffles, jumbo pasture-raised chicken wings, and fried okra. Walk-ins welcome on this one; see you soon at 4100 N. Kedzie. (SCJ)

Schubas (3159 N. Southport) presents a free and 21+ Chicago hip-hop infused show tonight as part of their 100% Off series. Reader senior writer Leor Galil tuned us in to the evening’s headliner, Stranded Civilians for his show preview last week. The local duo self-released their latest mixtape, Obsidian, in February, which Galil says is “a joy to listen to, powered by a youthful euphoria that makes it one of the best Chicago hip-hop releases of the year.” Check them out along with openers Mugen! the Human and Linda Sol, starting tonight at 8 PM. (SCJ)

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When the Chicago Bears took the field in Week 3 vs. the Houston Texans, all eyes were on second-year quarterback Justin Fields.

How would the passing game look? Would Fields have his breakout game? Would the Bears call a healthy amount of passing plays to get their quarterback in rhythm?

Instead of Fields having a breakout game and lighting up the Texans through the air, Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy chose to stick to the ground game just like he should have done a week prior against the Green Bay Packers.

Even despite losing starting running back David Montgomery early in this game, Getsy stuck with the rushing attack and tallied up 281 yards on the ground using a mixture of Khalil Herbert, Trestan Ebner, Equanimeous St. Brown and Fields.

It is clear, the strength of this Chicago Bears offense is not held within their passing attack.

Chalk that one up as the most obvious sports take you have likely ever read. But, Bears fans have to look at the facts.

Fields is taking longer to develop, and that’s incredibly frustrating. Once again, he threw less than 20 passes on Sunday and completed less than 50 percent of those passes. Fields went 8-for-17 with 106 yards, two interceptions and took five sacks.

Now, let’s be fair. The offensive line did not hold up throughout this game. The pass protection wasn’t excellent by any means, but there were plenty of snaps when Fields had some time to throw and he simply missed.

Fields still has yet to become more decisive in his play. He is not recognizing the open man, nor is he throwing the ball quickly enough — which is a very common theme in his game as a pro.

So, let’s look at what the Bears can do, going forward.

It would be silly to say the Bears should be “out” on Fields, after he still has yet to play the equivalent of a full 17-game slate in his career. They will continue to try and develop him with the hope that he pans out.

But, in the mean time, if the Bears are gong to try and win football games, it’s going to be done on the ground.

The Bears are actually a fairly competent run-blocking team. Herbert credited his line Sunday after the game with opening some big holes — and they did.

Even without Montgomery for at least the immediate future, the Bears are very confident in their running back group led by Herbert. The second-year pro ran for over 150 yards and two touchdowns against Houston, which was one of the biggest reasons — if not the biggest — the Bears came out victorious.

Through three games, the Bears have rushed for a total of 560 yards, equaling 187 yards per contest. If they continue at this pace, they will be a top-5 rushing team in the NFL when it’s all said and done.

It’s clear the Bears will not be as competitive as fans would have hoped, but if they want to win as many games as possible this season, they will stick to the run and hope Fields comes along at a nice pace.

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