A day before a deadly fire in their home, four young brothers spent their last Saturday making mud pies and digging for spiders in a local community garden.
Following the fire, the boys were each pronounced dead, the Cook County medical examiner’s office said Wednesday. Two adults, one of which was the boys’ mother, were transported to area hospitals and treated for smoke inhalation and burns.
Neighbors and friends gathered — eyes brimming with tears — at the Children’s Garden of Hope down the street from the boys’ apartment Wednesday to mourn and remember them.
“It makes you love your kids a little more,” said Valerie Fernandez, a neighbor who attended the vigil and knew the boys through a local day care center. “Give them a kiss, and be happy that you’re all here together.”
Larry Walker lives two doors down from the apartment that burned Sunday. As the unit went up in flames, Walker opened a window and carried one of the boys out of the fire.
“[I was thinking] just save the kids, just save the kids,” Walker told the Sun-Times.
Walker said he’s had trouble sleeping since the fire.
“I heard the rest of the kids screaming, but I couldn’t get to them,” he said. “It was heartbreaking, I’ve never been through something like this.”
As of Tuesday, what set the fire hadn’t been determined, though investigators said it had been caused by an open flame in one of the back rooms. It’s unclear if the fire was accidental or not.
The Sun-Times asked the Chicago Fire Department if any new information on the fire could be released Wednesday, and the department did not immediately respond.
A GoFundMe page has been started to financially support the boys’ mother and sister as they recover.
At the vigil, people huddled together and shared tight hugs as speakers prayed and offered condolences. White roses and blue star-shaped balloons dotted the scene of the vigil.
A makeshift memorial fashioned out of stuffed animals, mylar balloons and tall, skinny candles adorned the rock in front of the Children’s Garden of Hope where the brothers spent much of their time, according to Maura Madden, who runs the garden.
Madden said the brothers were tight-knit, especially the younger three.
“They were three little peas in a pod,” she said. “All so petite, so cute, but so well-mannered.”
The garden serves as a community gathering spot, especially for neighborhood children. The boys specifically liked the wooden stage in the center of the garden and ran through streams of water whenever Madden or other volunteers sprayed the growing plants.
“These are my angels,” Madden said.
Alicia Escalante, 11, described herself as Angel Rodriguez’s girlfriend and classmate. Her eyes welled with tears as speakers echoed condolences for the family and prayed at the garden.
“She was so sad,” Escalante’s mom, Bianca Mena said. “I don’t know how to feel. We want to help with anything we can.”
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Josh Harrison’s offense was so inept for the first two months of the season, his first with the White Sox, that people who follow the team wanted to see him shipped out.
“I’ll be honest, I don’t care what anybody says,” Harrison, a 10-year veteran infielder who turns 35 next month, said.
It’s probably a good thing Harrison, an All-Star for the Pirates in 2014 and 2017 who signed a one-year, $5.5 million deal to fill a void left at second base created by the trade of Nick Madrigal and declining to pick up Carlos Hernandez’ option after the season, tuned out the noise.
In June, Harrison was batting .346/.403/.509 with a .912 OPS going into Wednesday’s game against the Angels and Shohei Ohtani. He clubbed a two-run, tying homer in the Sox’ 11-4 victory over the Angels Tuesday.
“Been feeling pretty good at the plate, getting my rhythm and timing,” Harrison said. “Putting good swings on good pitches.”
Harrison is making the signing not look as awful as it first appeared when his batting line stood at .167/.248/.255 on June 2, his demeanor and veteran clubhouse presence notwithstanding.
“You don’t get to 10 years in this league by accident,” Harrison said. “I’ve been through every emotion possible. Anger, sad, upset, frustrated, excited. And I’ve dealt with adversity at the beginning of the season but it’s not anything I hadn’t gone through before. I know that’s what happens, you play the game and it can turn.”
It took a good turn when Harrison walked off the Blue Jays in a 7-6 victory in 12 innings Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field, a day after hitting a home run in an 8-7 win. He made big defensive plays in both games.
Harrison’s early season disappointment runs parallel to a team that was three games below .500 entering Wednesday’s rubber game of a series. The Sox are digging in and resisting the forces that threaten to keep them looking up at two teams in the weak AL Central.
“That’s just a testament of what we got going here, guys showing up every day and you go about your work,” he said. “You go to the right direction.”
Even as Harrison was playing better, when prospect Lenyn Sosa was called up from Double-A Birmingham Thursday after Danny Mendick tore his ACL in a collision with left fielder Adam Haseley, some fans were incensed that Harrison and not Sosa started at second base that day. Sosa had big numbers at Birmingham, and many thought he could provide a needed spark to a lagging offense.
Sosa did play in four games, starting three, and went 1-for-12 before being optioned to Triple-A Charlotte when Yoan Moncada came off the IL Tuesday.
“Teams kind of had an idea of how to pitch him, with the idea of this is how we need to execute against him,” assistant hitting coach Howie Clark said. “He had one hit but he hit a couple balls hard and for me he was very calm, he has great work ethic, he listens. I don’t think there is a lot that has to change.”
The Sox like Sosa’s makeup but feel the experience will serve him well as he gets the everyday at-bats he needs at Charlotte. Harrison, meanwhile, was an easy choice as far as manager Tony La Russa is concerned.
“Just watch every game that he plays,” La Russa said. “He could sit two or three days and he comes up there with vigor. He’s got a career of making plays and taking tough at-bats. He got off to a slow start and now he’s starting to be himself. But he’s never lost his positive frame of mind in the clubhouse. And if he’s not playing he’s there, ready.”
La Russa calls Harrison “a special pro.”
“He can’t be any better than he is professionally — personally as well,” he said.
Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki got in one more sun-soaked Wrigley Field workout Wednesday afternoon, before heading to the airport.
Suzuki (strained left ring finger) was scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Thursday, the Cubs announced.
Cubs manager David Ross didn’t reveal how many games the team expects Suzuki to need with the I-Cubs before returning from the 10-day IL, saying they’ll adjust based on daily feedback.
Suzuki has gone through two live batting practice sessions recently but hasn’t hit in a game for over a month. Ross said the swelling in Suzuki’s finger, which was a concern the last time he tried to build up his hitting to return, hasn’t come back.
“We’ve got a plan laid out,” Ross said of what the team will be monitoring. “Get some at-bats, his timing down. … Just getting back in playing shape I think is what’s important, trying to get his legs underneath him, run the bases, be able to react in the outfield.”
Until Suzuki returns, outfielders Rafael Ortega and Nelson Vel?zquez will likely continue to get a boost in playing time. Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward has been out of the lineup for the past four games, and the soreness in his right knee hasn’t improved, Ross said Wednesday.
“We’ll have to take a hard look at that here soon,” he added.
A rally was held Wednesday outside a Near West Side cannabis dispensary by union leaders and elected officials a week after two employees claimed they were fired for their organizing efforts.
“This is an industry that promised great jobs and career opportunities when pushing to legalize marijuana and they aren’t living up to that promise,” said Jim Doane, one of the recently fired employees. “We are making what Wendy’s entry-level employees are making and we are just advocating for better money, better scheduling and better ways to be promoted.”
Doane, 48, left a career as a restaurant general manager to become a bud tender at Zen Leaf Dispensary, 1301 S. Western Ave. He said it was his dream job and he quickly became one of the dispensary’s best employees — receiving highly rated reviews online and being trusted to help establish other dispensaries in other newly legalized states.
He said poor wages, scheduling and advancement opportunities made him look toward Teamsters Local 777, who had just successfully helped another Zen Leaf dispensary in suburban Lombard unionize earlier this year — a move he believes cost him his job as he was an organizing leader.
Workers at the Zen Leaf Dispensary in the Medical District filed a petition to unionize with Teamsters Local 777 earlier this month. Employees will vote on whether to form a union in July.
“I worked 30 years of my life in management, so I was an ideal employee, I had ambitions to move up with Zen Leaf,” Doane said. “But I’m an old guy and I am tired of being bullied by the bosses. I showed up early, I received praise and I worked hard for them to just fire me.”
Doane said he was told by Zen Leaf that economic hardship at the company was the reason he was let go, but he believes they caught wind of his role in fighting for a union.
Zen Leaf, who’s parent company is Verano Holdings, has dispensaries across the country, including 10 in Illinois.
Grace Bondy, a spokeswoman for Verano Holdings, declined to comment on the two recently terminated employees but said “We respect our team members’ rights to choose whether they want to be represented by a union.”
Richard Perez, who said he was fired because he was leading a union organizing effort at his former dispensary, hugs an employee on Wednesday outside of Zen Leaf Dispensary at 1301 S. Western Ave.
Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Doane said Zen Leaf started offering product discounts to employees — except those at the company’s sole unionized shop — in hopes of discouraging any talks of other organizing efforts. Employees, he said, saw right through that.
About two dozen union officials attended the mid-week rally in support of the two recently terminated employees. Ald. Jason Ervin (28th) and state Rep. Lakesia Collins, D-Chicago, also appeared at the rally to show their support for the unionization efforts.
“Verano’s tactics are shameful and unlawful. The unity and resolve that these workers have demonstrated is inspiring,” Teamsters organizer Pasquale Gianni said. “This will serve as a rallying point for our union election next month, as well as our fight for a contract that wins gains in pay, benefits, and working conditions. Teamsters fight to ensure workers are respected, valued, and heard.”
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 28: Johnny Cueto #47 of the Chicago White Sox throws against the Los Angeles Angels in the first inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 28, 2022 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
However, there have been a few things to be excited about. One of those is Johnny Cueto coming in and being a really solid starter for them. He has been everything they needed in a fifth starter and more.
They were able to finally let Dallas Keuchel go because he has been so good. The rest of the rotation (Dylan Cease, Michael Kopech, Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn) are all much better because he is there.
So far, the White Sox offense has been awful at getting him run support so his record only stands at 2-4. He does have a few no decisions that became wins because he did his part. He has been pumping out quality starts with regularity which is exactly what the White Sox needed from him.
In 54.0 innings, he has a 3.33 ERA, 1.167 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts. He doesn’t pump gas as he ages but he knows how to use the stuff that he does have to his advantage. All of this has accumulated him a 1.3 WAR which is really nice from your “5th starter”.
The 2022 Chicago White Sox are loving what they get from Johnny Cueto.
In Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels, he had a rough start. Already down 1-0 thanks to giving up a solo shot, he gave up back-to-back home runs to Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani.
Sometimes you give up home runs to the best players in the world. How you bounce back the rest of the way is what is important. Cueto only gave up four more hits after the three solo shots and was very effective.
He went a total of 6.0 innings with seven hits, three runs, one walk, and five strikeouts. It was as good of a performance as you can expect Cueto to have at any point. If they can get those starts consistently down the stretch, they won’t have a problem using him this often.
The offense was able to score 11 runs following the 3-0 deficit. They ended up winning 11-4 and Cueto was a big part of it. Now, they have a chance to win the series with Michael Kopech on the mound thanks to this great performance by Cueto.
Firefighters rescued a man from under a CTA Green Line train on the West Side Wednesday afternoon.
Firefighters were called to the train near the Laramie stop around 2:30 p.m. and used jacks to raise the car several inches and pull the man out, ChicagoFire Department spokesman Larry Langford said. It was unclear how he got there.
The man was talking and alert when paramedics brought him to Stroger Hospital. His condition wasn’t made available.
Derek King has been displaced from the Blackhawks’ head coaching role by Luke Richardson, but King may nonetheless remain with the organization moving forward.
General manager Kyle Davidson said Wednesday at Richardson’s introductory news conference that he’d work with King, who went 27-33-10 as the Hawks’ incredibly popular, ego-less interim coach this past season, to find a suitable new role for him.
“It was a tough spot for Derek to step into in his first foray as an [NHL] head coach, so we thought he did excellent,” Davidson said. “Derek’s someone we really appreciate and we really value, so there’s going to be a process moving forward where we do try to keep Derek in the fold. Because we’re looking to bring high-character people into the organization, and Derek is that.”
It’s possible King could regain his old AHL coaching title. Rockford interim coach Anders Sorensen did well this past season but hasn’t had his interim tag (at least officially) removed yet, and King admitted he’d always seen himself in the past as best-suited to be a minor-league coach.
An assistant coaching role on Richardson’s staff or another job in the front office, development team or scouting department are all possibilities, too.
Hawks talking trades
Davidson emphasized again Wednesday he’s willing to entertain trade offers for every Hawks player other than the three –Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Seth Jones — who hold no-trade clauses.
“It would be unwise to do anything but,” he said. “We’re not going to force anything. We’re not going to do something just to do something. But it’s incumbent on us to listen to what’s out there, what the interest is, and see if that can help us moving forward.
Approaching draft week next week in Montreal, Davidson admitted he has some “ideas” about potential trades to explore. Alex DeBrincat is almost certainly included in some of them, although Davidson shied away from naming him specifically.
One pertinent objective will be trying to acquire a first-round pick, as there are several — including the Devils’ No. 2 and the Senators’ No. 7 selections — that might be available. The Wild just Wednesday acquired the No. 19 pick from the Kings in a Kevin Fiala trade. Still, Davidson isn’t writing anything down in pen.
“If you’re trying to make something happen, that’s maybe where you get into trouble, you make a mistake,” he added. “We’ll see what’s there, and if we can get into the first round, absolutely we’d like to. But it just might not be available to us, so we’ll see what comes.”
NBA free agency begins Thursday at 6 p.m. ET, but the news has already been rolling in from around the league.
Much of the early buzz was coming out of New York, where Kyrie Irving‘s contract status had pundits and fans speculating about the future of the Brooklyn Nets‘ star point guard. But on Monday, Irving opted in to his $36.5 million player option for the 2022-23 season.
Elsewhere in the NBA, other superstars with player options for next season include James Harden ($47.4 million) and Bradley Beal ($36.4 million).
And which free agents will change teams this summer? Some of the biggest names include Zach LaVine, Jalen Brunson and Deandre Ayton, all of whom could provide a major boost to a new franchise if they choose a change of scenery.
A host of young stars are also eligible for rookie contract extensions. While the Memphis Grizzlies and Ja Morant are all but certain to agree on a max deal, what does the future hold for the New Orleans Pelicans and Zion Williamson, who has played in just 85 games throughout his first three seasons because of injury and missed all of 2021-22 with a broken foot?
Keep it here all offseason long for the latest buzz, news and reports surrounding NBA free agency.
12:50 p.m. ET: The NBA’s salary cap for the 2022-23 season is projected to come in at roughly $123.6 million, sources told ESPN. That is an $11.6 million increase from last year’s salary cap figure of $112 million.
Caldwell-Pope, a 10-year veteran, averaged 13.2 points a game in his lone season in Washington. Smith will play for his 13th team in 12 years upon joining the Nuggets. Previous stops include Pistons, 76ers, Suns, Thunder and Rockets.
June 28 updates
9:43 p.m. ET: The New York Knicks have agreed to trade center Nerlens Noel, guard Alec Burks, a 2023 second-round pick, a 2024 second-round pick and $6 million to the Detroit Pistons, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The trade allows the Knicks to unload $19 million in salary, clearing cap space to try to sign free-agent guard Jalen Brunson.
8:10 p.m. ET:Minnesota Timberwolves forward Taurean Prince has agreed on a two-year, $16 million contract extension, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Prince averaged 7.3 points per game in 69 games for the Wolves last season.
5:08 p.m. ET:Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac has agreed on a three-year, $33 million extension, his agents Jeff Schwartz and Mike Lindeman told ESPN. The Clippers declined his $7.5 million team option for 2022-2023, clearing the way for Zubac’s new deal.
Zubac averaged a career high in points (10.3), rebounds (8.5) and blocks (1.0) last season.
4:44 p.m. ET: It is widely anticipated that former Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson will go to the New York Knicks on a four-year deal in excess of $100 million, sources told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
It remains to be seen how New York will clear the rest of the necessary cap space and whether the Mavs can work a sign-and-trade to recoup assets.
4:44 p.m. ET: Chicago Bulls center Tony Bradley is exercising his $2 million player option for next season, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. On his fourth team in six seasons, Bradley averaged 3.0 points a game for the Bulls last season, a decrease from his career-high 8.7 points with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2020-21.
He averaged 16 points in that span, yet averaged a career high 24.3 points in the 2020-21 season. Nembhard played in just 16 games last season, averaging 1.1 points a game.
10:54 a.m. ET: Los Angeles Lakers star Russell Westbrook is planning to exercise his $47.1 million option to return to the franchise for the 2022-23 season, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Westbrook, a nine-time All-Star and 2017 NBA Most Valuable Player, enters the final season of his original five-year, $206 million contract.
Westbrook has dealt with a heap of criticism following a subpar 2021-22 season alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The point guard shot 29.8% from 3-point range and played only 21 games with James and Davis due to injuries.
“I think this is a really good thing for the Nets in this sense,” Friedell said. “The commitment isn’t there long term. This is a ‘prove it’ year, it now becomes one for Kyrie and if they bring everybody back, the feeling internally within that organization is that Kyrie is out there and Kevin [Durant] is playing at an MVP level and we get something from him, we can win. At what level can they win? That remains to be seen.”
June 27 updates
9:41 p.m. ET: The Houston Rockets and John Wall have reached a buyout agreement, shaving $6.5 million off of his $47.4 million salary, a source told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. Wall is planning to sign with the LA Clippers once he clears waivers, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
7:01 p.m. ET:Kyrie Irving is opting in to his $36.5 million option with the Brooklyn Nets for next season, he told The Athletic on Monday.Without the ability to find a sign-and-trade deal, Irving decided to exercise his player option, sources confirmed. He had until Wednesday to make a decision.
Irving is now no longer eligible for a sign-and-trade deal. The Nets could still work to trade him as an expiring contract, but Irving would have no formal voice in a potential landing spot.
12:23 p.m. ET: Outside of the Los Angeles Lakers, there are no known teams planning to pursue a sign-and-trade deal for Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. No sign-and-trades can be formally discussed until after 6 p.m. ET on Thursday. Brooklyn isn’t believed to have interest in available Lakers packages. If Irving declines his $36 million player option, he would be eligible to sign with the Lakers for the $6 million taxpayer midlevel exception. The deadline is Wednesday to decide on his option.
8:30 a.m. ET: The Brooklyn Nets are not going to offer point guard Kyrie Irving a max contract in free agency this summer, ESPN’s Zach Lowe reported on Get Up. “The Nets are not going to be held hostage by the threat of Kyrie Irving and then Kevin Durant following him out the door,” Lowe said. “They appear ready to actually take some kind of stand here. That doesn’t mean that there’s not going to be a fair compromise offer somewhere.”
9:49 p.m. ET: The New York Knicks made multiple moves on draft night to free up cap space. They sent the No. 11 pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder, which took $4.5 million off their cap sheet, then sent Kemba Walker to the Detroit Pistons, clearing an additional $9.2 million in salary for 2022-23. Walker and the Pistons are expected to discuss a contract buyout that will allow him to become a free agent, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
6:13 p.m. ET: The Portland Trail Blazers have acquired forward Jerami Grant from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for a protected 2025 first-round pick and additional draft assets, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Blazers absorb Grant’s $21 million salary using a trade exception, sources said. Grant, who is entering the final year of his contract, is eligible to sign a four-year, $112 million extension beginning in December. The Pistons, on the other hand, now have $43 million in salary-cap space for free agency.
2:13 p.m. ET: Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers said contract extensions for Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole are a “big priority,” adding, “We’ll make a big effort to keep those guys.” However, he understands those deals might not happen right away. The deadline for Poole to sign an extension off his rookie deal isn’t until Oct. 31, and Wiggins has no deadline for an extension off the max deal he signed while with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
12:06 p.m. ET: James Harden is headed toward opting into his $47.3 million player option and then extending his contract by perhaps as many as two years at a significant number with the Philadelphia 76ers, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on SportsCenter. Harden’s extension would likely fall short of a max contract but would still be a significant commitment from Philadelphia.
June 21 updates
5:01 p.m. ET: The Houston Rockets‘ John Wall has exercised his $47.4 million player option for the 2022-23 season, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Rockets will continue to seek a trade for the 31-year-old guard, but the two sides are expected to work on a contract buyout if a swap can’t be found, sources told Wojnarowski. Wall averaged 20.6 points and 6.9 assists in 40 games for the Rockets in 2020-21 before being shut down.
12:55 p.m. ET:LA Clippers forward Nicolas Batum will decline his $3.3 million player option and become a free agent, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. There is expected to be mutual interest in reaching a new deal in July, sources said. Batum started 54 of the 59 games he played, averaging 8.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in his second season with the Clippers.
June 19 update
11:43 a.m. ET:Denver Nuggets forward Jeff Green has exercised his $4.5 million player option for the 2022-23 season, sources told ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. Green had until Monday to decide whether to opt into the deal, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Green, who will turn 36 in August, averaged 10.3 points in 75 games (63 starts) for Denver last season, his 11th team during his 14-year NBA career.
Third-year guard Jordan Poole, who is entering the last year of his rookie contract, has until Oct. 17 to negotiate a new deal with the reigning NBA champs.
9:39 p.m. ET: The Dallas Mavericks acquired center Christian Wood from the Rockets in exchange for the No. 26 pick in the 2022 NBA draft and Boban Marjanovic, Marquese Chriss, Trey Burke and Sterling Brown — four players with expiring contracts. Wood is set to make $14.3 million for the 2022-23 season, the final year of his contract. Wood averaged 19.1 points and 9.9 rebounds during his two seasons in Houston.
New Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson had long believed he had the necessary skills to be an NHL head coach someday.
But amid the chaos of the 2021 playoffs, he received confirmation he truly did.
Entering Game 3 of the Canadiens’ Stanley Cup semifinal series against the Golden Knights –a matchup only made possible by COVID-19 and the restructured playoff format –then-Canadiens coach Dominique Ducharme fell ill and later tested positive for the virus, thrusting then-assistant Richardson into the interim head coach role for the series’ final four games.
Against the odds, Richardson navigated the underdog Canadiens to wins in Games 3, 5 and 6 to upset one of the league’s best teams and advance to the Stanley Cup Final.
“To have the confidence in myself at the most pressured time of the year, and to succeed, and have a good relationship with the players that allowed that to happen, it really resonated with me that I’m ready for a head coaching job,” Richardson said Wednesday at his introductory Hawks press conference.
“It starts with communication and trust and honesty with the players, and it resonates when you put your game plan around them. Making adjustments with them on the fly is huge, and there’s no quicker time you have to do that than at that time of the year. … I always wanted to do it, and I thought I could do it, but that solidified that I know I can.”
Richardson’s ability to relate to, adapt with and develop players will be tested to the max in his new job, as the Hawks’ roster will feature a revolving door of largely inexperienced young players in the coming years.
The 53-year-old Canadian, still muscular enough to pass as a veteran player himself, seemed to grasp that reality of this role while sitting side-by-side Wednesday with general manager Kyle Davidson, who has already spent hours discussing everything with his hand-picked coach.
“I am an optimist and I want to go win every game — and I’m going to approach every game like that — but realistically, we have to take steps,” Richardson said. “We want to cut the lows to a shorter time, and our highs, we want to lengthen them out as far as we can. In doing that, we’re going to have to take those steps: One, two, three, four. We can’t go one [to] 10. We can’t skip anything.”
Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson (left) and new coach Luke Richardson first met during a 4.5-hour interview several weeks ago.
AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
Richardson and Davidson first met during a 4.5-hour initial interview several weeks ago, bringing Richardson back to the city where he played his first of 1,417 career NHL games in 1987 — as Eddie Olczyk’s roommate on the Maple Leafs.
He flew back last week for another interview, during which he dived deeper into the topics he’d discussed the first time, then a casual dinner with Davidson, during which they watched a Stanley Cup Final game and dissected the Avalanche and Lightning’s tactics.
“It was great for them to see and have discussions about certain situations on the ice, what I thought and how [I’d] deal with it,” Richardson said. “Kyle said, ‘We’re going to meet one more time tomorrow morning.’ I walked back to the hotel thinking, ‘Well, that’s got to be good.’ Then I started overthinking and I [thought], ‘Maybe they’re going to call me in and say, ‘Thanks very much for coming; see you next time.’ But it worked out and Kyle presented [the job] to me in a way that I felt was the right fit.”
Added Davidson: “Nobody has a bad word to say about [Luke]. Everyone has had a great experience with him. So that was one of the first things that put him on our radar. Then once we got into the room with Luke, something intangible just felt like it clicked.”
Richardson hasn’t yet talked to Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews or Seth Jones –he intriguingly didn’t mention Alex DeBrincat among those three –but called it his first priority to start building a rapport with those core guys.
As far as the rest of the lineup, he admitted he’ll just “have to work with what” he’s given, which might not be much.
Stories abound from Richardson’s previous coaching stops — particularly in the AHL with the Binghamton Senators –of him skating and participating in drills alongside his players. He might not do that quite as much in his new role, but his reputation as a calm, down-to-earth coach will likely hold true.
That unflappability could prove crucial to surviving the adversity that lies ahead.
“A calm demeanor on the bench leads to the players feeling calmness on the bench, but [also] awareness of their job and what they have to do,” he said. “[I’m] not tense or yelling and screaming at the ref. … That filters into the players in front of you, and they lose track of the game plan and get off track. If you have to make a point, you pick the time to make that point, and then you don’t lose the players.”
Bradley Beal has declined his $36.4 million player option for the 2022-23 NBA season, his agent Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Beal, who has played his entire 10-year career with the Washington Wizards, likely will have two options next month: either sign a five-year max contract to remain in Washington or elect to go elsewhere on a four-year max contract, the most he can sign with another team.
Beal, who turned 29 on Tuesday, averaged 23.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 6.6 assists in 40 games for Washington last season before undergoing season-ending wrist surgery in February. The prior two seasons, Beal — who has made the All-Star team three times in his career — averaged more than 30 points per game, including 31.3 across 60 games in the 2020-21 season.
The No. 3 pick in the 2012 NBA draft, Beal is in the top five in a host of all-time statistical categories for the Wizards, including making and attempting the most 3-pointers in Wizards history.
