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Zach LaVine recently signed a 5-year, $215.2 million contract to return to the Chicago Bulls. There was a lot of talk around the league about where the former unrestricted free agent would end up signing. Many speculated that he could want to play in his former home and college town of Los Angeles. Some even went as far as to say that he could reunite with his former teammates on the Minnesota Timberwolves. Some rumors are more far-fetched than others, but LaVine leaving the Bulls would’ve come as a shock to Chicago.

Today, Zach LaVine revealed that his mind was always set on Chicago. In fact, during free agency, he never even met with any other teams.

This may not come as a surprise to Bulls fans. Especially because Zach LaVine is on a path toward becoming one of the greatest Chicago Bulls of all time. The 27-year-old has 2 All-Star appearances with the Bulls and already ranks third in franchise history for 3-pointers made. By the time this new contract expires he’ll likely be top 5 in nearly every major statistical category. (Fans can view the Bull’s complete list of franchise leaders here) I don’t believe fans were surprised to see him come back to Chicago, and I don’t think they should be surprised if his jersey is in the rafters someday.

LaVine was happy to sign back in Chicago. The “unfinished business” that LaVine mentions in this video must have been another deciding factor for him. The Bulls got off to an impressive start last season before injuries derailed what looked like a promising season.

Zach LaVine and the Bulls will be back with some reinforcements this October to deal with some of that unfinished business. Keep an eye out for the 2023 NBA Schedule to be released sometime next month.

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CLEVELAND — In perhaps the biggest series and road trip of the season, the White Sox needed to get off to a good start.

And of course, they didn’t in an 8-4 loss to the Cleveland Guardians Monday night.

It’s been that kind of year.

Coming off two Sox wins at home against the Tigers to garner a split of a four-game series for, Tim Anderson, Yoan Moncada and Luis Robert were retired on six pitches in the first inning. Sox right-hander Lance Lynn then gave up five runs in the bottom of the first.

Lynn, who was victimized by soft contact but effective contact nonetheless in a six-hit, strikeout-free first that gobbled up 39 offerings on his pitch count, got back in the game on Yoan Moncada’s three-run homer against Cal Quantrill in the third and AJ Pollock’s RBI single in the fourth.

“The score tells you all you need to know,” Lynn said. “If you give up eight runs, you’re horse [bleep].”

Lynn (1-2, 6.97 ERA) pitched a perfect second and third but had to work out of a jam in the fourth, then gave up two more in the fifth on Nolan Jones’ double, the second run scoring when second baseman Leury Garcia’s relay throw bounced through catcher Seby Zavala.

It was Lynn’s 100th pitch, and he was running low on fuel after that labor intensive first, as well as the fourth.

“We have two games [Tuesday] and to be honest I have to get through six innings,” Lynn said. “I let the team down.”

Franmil Reyes led off the fifth with a single and Lynn hit Andres Gimenez to open the inning, and manager Tony La Russa allowed Lynn to face Jones for the third time, and Jones lined a 110-mph rocket to the right-center field gap, the hardest hit ball of the night.

“Watched him in the fourth when he had first and third, got the heart of the lineup out,” La Russa said. “We checked him and he said, ‘I’m ready to go.’ ”

Myles Straw’s comebacker off reliever Matt Foster caromed into right field and scored Jones to make it 8-4.

The young Guardians (42-42), losers in eight of their previous 10 games and a team that’s not expected to contend in the division, beat the Sox for the fifth time in six games. The Sox have three more against Cleveland and four against the Twins going into next week’s All-Star break. After the break, they have another four against Cleveland at home.

It seems whenever the Sox string together a couple of wins or enjoy an important win, they can’t follow up with a meaningful streak.

Lynn allowed eight runs on nine hits in four-plus innings. The first three singles allowed were at exit velocities of 83.6, 68 and 92 mph.

“That’s part of the game,” Lynn said. “When you give up five runs with two outs, that hurts. But I have to be better early on. There’s no other way to put it. Make better pitches, get in better counts and when I do put people away.”

NOTES: Dylan Cease, on not being selected for the All-Star team despite having the fifth lowest ERA among AL qualified starters and second best strikeout rate: “You can only just pitch better, play better. I can make a good case with some of my numbers, but it’s out of my hands so I’m not going to lose any sleep over it. But it’s a little bit disappointing.”

Cease will pitch the second game of the day-night doubleheader Tuesday, and is lined up for Sunday at Minnesota. Davis Martin will be called up to pitch the day game Tuesday.

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Success at bat has been Tim Anderson’s ticket to becoming the White Sox’ first American League All-Star starter at shortstop in 52 years.

That hasn’t always been the case for Sox shortstop stars. The main asset for Hall of Famer Luis Aparicio, the last Sox shortstop to start the All-Star Game, is that he was one of the best defensive shortstops in history.

With a nod toward National League All-Star starter Willson Contreras and other Cubs catchers, let’s focus this week on All-Star starters among Sox shortstops.

Anderson: In his seventh season with the Sox, Anderson leads AL shortstops with a .318 batting average (through Sunday). Taking extra bases, walks and other factors into account, his weighted runs created plus (wRC+) of 126 signifies offensive production 26% higher than average.

Defense is another matter. He is at minus-1 defensive runs saved, as tracked by Baseball Info Solutions. An average shortstop has 0. The difference is narrow enough and the sample small enough to say Anderson has been an average defensive shortstop.

At the beginning of his career, Anderson had wRC+ of 98, 79 and 85. But he turned on the offense starting in 2019, with star-level 128, 141, 120 and now 126.

Aparicio: Defensive runs saved aren’t available for older players. But by defensive WAR at Baseball-Reference.com, Aparicio’s 31.9 — 20.1 for the Sox and 11.8 for the Orioles — is fifth at short behind Ozzie Smith (44.2), Mark Belanger (39.5), Cal Ripken Jr. (35.7) and Joe Tinker (34.3).

Offensively, Aparicio is remembered as the man who put the ”go” in the 1959 AL champion ”Go-Go White Sox.” He led the AL in steals nine times, with a high of 56 in 1959. Overall, offense was not his strength. He hit .262/.311/.343 for a .653 OPS and 83 wRC+.

It was defense and baserunning that made ”Little Looie” an All-Star starter in 1958, 1959 and 1970 and an All-Star reserve three times for the Sox and twice for the Orioles.

Chico Carrasquel: The first in a line of Sox from Venezuela who include Aparicio, Ozzie Guillen, Magglio Ordonez and many more, Carrasquel arrived in 1950, stayed through 1955, then played four seasons for three other teams.

Third in Rookie of the Year voting when he hit .282/.368/.365 for a career-best .733 OPS, Carrasquel was an All-Star starter in 1953 and 1954 and a reserve in 1951 and 1955. His wRC+ was a nondescript 87 in his Sox years and 85 overall.

On defense, Carrasquel sparkled. His 13.9 dWAR with the Sox is fifth among South Side shortstops after Guillen (21.3 in 13 seasons), Aparicio (20.1 in 10), Luke Appling (19.1 in 20) and George Davis (15.2 in seven).

Appling: As mentioned above, Appling is third among Sox shortstops in dWAR. Offensively, he’s the leader with 115 wRC+ off .310/.399/.398 hitting.

Appling’s 72.6 Fangraphs WAR tops not only Sox shortstops, but it also beats Frank Thomas’ 68.1 for the Sox’ best at all positions.

The AL starting shortstop in 1936 and 1940 and a reserve five more times, Appling is a serious contender for the best player in Sox history.

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