Lollapalooza officially returned to Grant Park this week for four days of music and good times despite concerns about how bringing together over 100,000 people each day will affect the ongoing pandemic.

The festival, which opened Thursday with vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test required for entry, represents the largest public event to date held in Chicago since the emergence of the coronavirus last March. Despite worries over the virus’ Delta variant and rising caseloads nationally, the show will go on this weekend.

Late Friday, the festival announced that masks would be required in any indoor space throughout the Grant Park grounds beginning Saturday. Attendees would be encouraged to bring their own masks.

Huge acts are in town luring giant crowds to the park, including Miley Cyrus, Foo Fighters, Post Malone and Tyler, The Creator. Many surrounding streets will be closed through Sunday night.

The Sun-Times will be there all four days covering the big shows and big crowds. Keep this page bookmarked for updates throughout the festival.

Photo highlights

DAY 4 highlights: sights from Sunday

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Check out more sights and sounds captured by our photographers on the fourth day of Lolla here.

DAY 3 highlights: sights from Saturday

Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Check out more sights and sounds captured by our photographers on the third day of Lolla here.

DAY 2 highlights: Sights from Friday

Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

Check out more sights and sounds captured by our photographers on the second day of Lolla here.

DAY 1 highlights: Sights from Thursday

Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times

Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times

Check out more sights and sounds captured by our photographers on the first day of Lolla here.

Set reviews

DAY 4: Radkey, Neal Francis

There was no rest on Sunday as Lollapalooza ushered in a day of pure rock with brothers in punk music (and real life) Radkey opening things up on the Grubhub Stage.

Based on their explosive sound, catchy hooks and gritty vocals, you’d expect these three to have been around a few blocks and hailed from one of the two rock meccas: Detroit or New York City. But they’re barely out of their teens. And from Missouri.

The flannel-and-denim-clad brothers paid a nod to their ages with the bombastic “Rock & Roll Homeschool,” a tongue-in-cheek nod to The Ramones, of course. And that’s just one of their well-educated influences. Guitarist and vocalist Dee Radke (whose name clearly paved the way for destiny) is a dead ringer in vocal style for Glenn Danzig and there’s a bit of The Stooges percolating in their songwriting too.

Read all of Selena Fragassi’s reviews from Sunday here.

DAY 3: Cannons, Michigander

Michigander’s Jason Singer swore he thought he’d only see about 20 people at his set, but there was easily 100x that amount of revelers taking in the easy-like-Saturday-afternoon performance delivering perfectly crafted indie pop.

Of course hailing from Michigan (Detroit, to be specific), Singer and crew imbued that laidback Midwest attitude in both their music and their exultation for being tapped for a spot at Lollapalooza.

The frontman commented several times it was a “dream come true” and something he could only pine for as a high schooler when he first began writing music like the song “Fears.” But with his talent, it was really only a matter of time until people started listening – and they have.

Read all of Selena Fragassi’s reviews from Saturday here.

DAY 2: Tyler the Creator, Mick Jenkins, Polo G, Omar Apollo

Tyler, the Creator was trending on social media ahead of his headlining set to close out Day 2 of Lollapalooza. Half of the people were upset the festival was not yet streaming his performance on Hulu and had chosen to broadcast Marshmello instead, and the other half were pleading with the universe to make his rumored appearance with his Odd Future cohort Frank Ocean happen (though that seemed like a tall order).

One was righted as the livestream picked up the performance a half-hour later, thankfully allowing a much larger crowd to pay witness to the visionary, art-driven set that melded jazz, R&B, rap, trip hop, and darkcore.

The Grammy Award winner astutely merged the worlds of live theater and concert in his hour-plus set, sparing no effort to bring his full production stage the “creator” part of him is known for, even as live touring just starts to make its comeback and while most sets this weekend have been understandably scaled back.

Read all of Selena Fragassi’s and Matt Moore’s reviews from Friday here.

DAY 1: Miley Cyrus, Black Pumas, Orville Peck, Playboi Carti, Jimmy Eat World

Starting her Lollapalooza headlining set with “We Can’t Stop” (preaching the general theme of “it’s my party and I’ll do what I want to”), Miley Cyrus set the tone early on: It would be one helluva time and she would be making all the rules. In following those two tenets, the genre-bending star dominated the festival’s opening night.

There were fireworks, some memorable covers, a motley crew of guests, moments of nearly flashing the videofeed cameras, and the artist taking a stand on the important of freeing Britney Spears. During Cyrus’ performance Thursday of her hit “SMS (Bangerz),” which features Spears, the jumbo screens next to the stage broadcast the trending #freebritney message superimposed with caricatures of handcuffs. (Cyrus recently championed Spears’ conservatorship emancipation at a show in Vegas too.)

Read all of Selena Fragassi’s and Matt Moore’s reviews from Thursday here.

DaBaby’s performance canceled amid backlash over homophobic comments

Rapper DaBaby was pulled from Sunday’s Lollapalooza amid a brewing controversy over homophobic comments he made during another festival performance last week in Florida.

DaBaby, real name Jonathan Kirk, has come under heavy fire after he went on a controversial rant last Sunday at the Rolling Loud music festival in Miami Gardens, Florida, that targeted gay people and those living with sexually transmitted diseases.

Read the full story here.

Lightfoot takes the stage: ‘Thank you for masking up and vaxing up’

Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who has been outspoken about her decision to keep Lollapalooza as scheduled despite the uptick in cases of COVID-19 and numerous variants spreading around the country, made a not-so-surprise appearance on the festival’s opening day.

Wearing a Black Pumas T-shirt, she introduced the group’s midday set at the T-Mobile Stage and hailed the Pumas as one of the greatest rock bands of today.

“The rate of vaccination in this crowd is off the charts,” she said.

Read the full story here.

First Lolla fans optimistic as 2021 festival kicks off amid COVID-19 precautions

Thousands of fans streamed into Grant Park Thursday marking the return of Lollapalooza after COVID-19 halted last year’s iteration of the 30-year-old music festival. While some fans said they were slightly worried about COVID-19, many expressed confidence in Lollapalooza’s new protocols.

But not everyone knew about the vaccine mandate in order to attend the music festival.

Read the full story here.

Lolla signs warn attendees they assume risk for COVID-19

The thousands of people entering Lollapalooza on Thursday are being greeted by signs explaining something that’s not included on their public health and safety website: By attending the festival, “you voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19,” which they mention “can lead to severe illness and death.”

Read the full story here.

Must-see acts to check out

Some of the names on the Lolla lineup are a lot bigger than others. Selena Fragassi parses through the dozens of bands and artists to break down 10 must-see acts that attendees won’t want to miss this weekend. Here’s what Fragassi says about one of the festival’s earliest performers, Orville Peck:

No one exactly knows who this incognito Canadian country singer is (his trademark look is a long, fringed mask and cowboy hat) but the boudoir-looking John Wayne has heaped tons of due praise in his few years on the scene. Both for crafting a highly contagious psychedelic outlaw sound that refreshes the genre and for being an LGBTQ iconoclast whose work with Trixie Mattel and Gaga will soon put him in a new league.

Check out all of our recommended shows here.

How to watch performances live online

Unlike past years, Hulu is the exclusive live streaming partner for Lollapalooza 2021. All Hulu subscribers will be able to watch live performances for free as part of their subscriptions. Complete streaming schedules for all four days are already up on Hulu’s website, although they warn that set times are subject to change.

How will COVID-19 affect the festival?

With coronavirus case figures rising across the country amid lagging vaccination rates and the emergence of the Delta variant, Lollapalooza put in place security measures to help make the festival safer.

For those attending the festival, a vaccination card or proof of negative COVID-19 test will be required for entry. Get more information on how that’ll work here.

Chicago’s top health official, Dr. Alison Arwady, said Tuesday that the city’s virus situation is in “good control” ahead of the festival. However, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said recently that she would not hesitate to impose measures in Chicago such as face covering requirements if the city’s daily caseload keeps rising — and Arwady said she expects “some cases” of COVID-19 to result from the festival being held.

Lineup and schedule

Complete daily schedules for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday can be found here.

The after-show lineup includes Modest Mouse, Journey, Jimmy Eat World and Freddie Gibbs. Check out the complete list of official Lolla after-shows here.

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WASHINGTON – Center fielder Rafael Ortega was supposed to be a short-term solution when the Cubs recalled the 30-year-old from Triple-A Iowa in late May, but since joining the team all he’s done is hit. Ortega was arguably the Cubs’ best hitter in the month of July, slashing .368/.419/.544 with five doubles, a triple and a home run.

Ortega was starting to see more time in the lineup before the Cubs’ moves at the deadline and with more regular at-bats available, but in Sunday’s 6-5 loss, the veteran outfielder showed why he’s getting those chances.

The center fielder had a historic afternoon in the Cubs’ series finale in DC, slugging three homers in the Cubs’ loss to the Nationals.

“This is incredible,” Ortega said after his three-homer game. “it’s something that you don’t really think could happen, especially to me. I thank God for letting me continue this run that I’m on right now. To do what I’m doing. I really dedicate this to God first and my family, especially my family in Venezuela.”

Before Sunday’s game, there were a lot of things Ortega had never accomplished in the big leagues. One of those was hitting a leadoff homer in a game, but he got that out of the way quickly.

Ortega started off fast with a solo shot three pitches into the game that gave the Cubs a quick 1-0 lead. Not only was it the first leadoff homer of his career, it was also the first time he’s homered in consecutive days after his homer in Saturday’s 4-3 win.

“He’s on fire,” manager David Ross said. “He’s been such a catalyst at the top for us since moving up there. He was a really big bat off the bench. He’s locked in. Great approach. It feels like he’s in every bat.”

There was nothing Ortega couldn’t do on Sunday and when the Cubs needed a big hit, his spot in the order came up. magic wasn’t done there. In the sixth inning, Ortega blasted another homer, this time a two-run shot, making it a 4-3 game.

It marked the first multi-homer game in his career.

But Ortega had one more trick up his sleeve. After the Nationals scored a run in the seventh inning to give them a 5-3 lead, the Cubs’ lead-off man came through in another big spot.

Ortega crushed a two-run shot in the eighth inning into the upper deck to tie the game at 5 and put an exclamation point on an incredible day. He tied a franchise record with the three homers. It was the first time it’s been done since Kris Bryant did it on May 17, 2019, also in Washington.

“I never had a feeling like this like I have right now in my career,” Ortega said. “When you have bad days, I had bad days in the past, I just kept my head up. I think that’s what helped me to be here right now doing what I’m doing.”

He is also the first Cubs left-handed hitter with three homers in a game since Brant Brown on June 18, 1998 vs. Philadelphia. And the first Cubs’ lefty to hit three homers on the road since Rick Monday, May 16, 1972 at Philadelphia.

He finished the game, going 4-for-4 with three homers and drove in all five Cubs runs in the game, which the Cubs lost on a walk-off homer by Yadiel Hernandez. It capped an incredible series against the Nationals, going 8-for-13 with a double and four homers.

“I think he’s just getting comfortable,” Ross said. “He didn’t have a lot of run early on and coming off the bench and the role he was in, just getting hits. … It’s a lot of line drives left center, right center. The power is just showing up as the ball is getting in the air. But he’s been hitting the ball hard.”

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The last day of Lollapalooza began with a change in the lineup early Sunday morning.

Rapper DaBaby was pulled from Sunday’s schedule amid a brewing controversy over homophobic comments he made during another festival performance last week in Florida.

Young Thug is performing in DaBaby’s place Sunday at 9 p.m. on the Bud Light Seltzer stage, with G Herbo set for the 4 p.m. slot on the T-Mobile stage.

Amid the numerous COVID-19 safety restrictions in place for the festival, Friday night saw the release of a new indoor mask requirement by Lollapalooza organizers. The requirement was in full force Saturday. The areas include the box office, merchandise shop, two hospitality lounges and wristband help tents.

If you missed our coverage of the festival’s third day, check out our reviews of Megan Thee Stallion, Michigander, Cannons, Freddie Gibbs, Post Malone and more, as well as our photo highlights from Saturday and reviews from Friday, including Tyler, the Creator’s closing set here.

Keep in mind there are numerous COVID safety restrictions in place for the fest. You’ll need proof of vaccination or proof a negative COVID-19 test for entry to the festival grounds. Lolla is the largest public event to date held in Chicago since the emergence of the coronavirus last March. Despite worries over the virus’ Delta variant and rising caseloads nationally, the show went on this weekend.

We’ve got the festival covered from every angle. For a complete guide to all things Lolla, check out our guide here. If you want our tips of the acts to catch, you can find our Top 10 picks here. And keep in mind, there are gobs of street closures in place; you can find the details here.

Anthony Vazquez, Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Anthony Vazquez, Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Anthony Vazquez, Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Anthony Vazquez, Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Anthony Vazquez, Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Anthony Vazquez, Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

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There was no rest on Sunday as Lollapalooza ushered in a day of pure rock with brothers in punk music (and real life) Radkey opening things up on the Grubhub Stage.

Based on their explosive sound, catchy hooks and gritty vocals, you’d expect these three to have been around a few blocks and hailed from one of the two rock meccas: Detroit or New York City. But they’re barely out of their teens. And from Missouri.

The flannel-and-denim-clad brothers paid a nod to their ages with the bombastic “Rock & Roll Homeschool,” a tongue-in-cheek nod to The Ramones, of course. And that’s just one of their well-educated influences. Guitarist and vocalist Dee Radke (whose name clearly paved the way for destiny) is a dead ringer in vocal style for Glenn Danzig and there’s a bit of The Stooges percolating in their songwriting too.

The trio (also including the incredibly physical bass player Isaiah Radke and the solid Solomon Radke on drums) is currently doing some summer dates with Foo Fighters, and were a great warmup for that rock band Sunday as well. Advocating for “the future of rock ‘n’ roll” as they exited the stage, behind well-hewn numbers like “Dark Black Makeup” and “Seize,” they clearly fit the bill.

Neal Francis

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

If you’re not discovering bands at Lollapalooza in addition to catching the acts you came for, it’s really a missed opportunity to get on the groundswell of some incredibly talented, dedicated musicians. Case in point: Neal Francis.

A well-rounded product of Chicago, Francis looked like something out of the ’70s with his mop-top shag, aviators, and red velvet suit coat — and he sounded like it, too. There are hints of ’70s Brit Rock (including a very visceral touch of Elton John) as well as New Orleans jazz-funk, gospel soul, and some lighthearted Randy Newman — and the amalgamation felt like a time-stamped treasure.

According to his bio, Francis was a child piano prodigy who played with Muddy Waters’ son and other blues artists, and that pedigree comes out in his set, buoyed by an ensemble of well-oiled musicians that shows Chicago still rears the best of them. On songs like “Changes,” Francis plays well into the current revival movement for classic sounds at a time when many are rediscovering vinyl and is a great act to check out around town when he books more dates, hopefully soon.

Selena Fragassi is a Chicago freelance writer.

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The Quark In The Road

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Representative Kevin McCarthy’s threat to harm Pelosi is no laughing matter

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By Aquinas wired,
today at 2:04 pm

“California Assault and Battery Laws. Assault in California is an intentional attempt to physically injure another, or a menacing or threatening act or statement that causes the other person to believe they are about to be attacked. This crime doesn’t involve actual physical contact.”

McCarthy says he’d like to hit

Pelosi on the head.

Her lawyers might interpret it

As something she should dread.

He’d whack her with the gavel she

Now uses in the House

Which indicates how truly he

Is totally a louse.

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Chicago Bulls Rumors: Lauri Markkanen has a few confirmed suitors by Ryan Heckman

The Chicago Blackhawks made a big splash when they acquired Marc-Andre Fleury from the Vegas Golden Knights earlier in the offseason. It was one of many big moves that they made with hopes of improving their roster ahead of 2021-22. There was one catch, however. Fleury was rumored to be retiring if he wasn’t a Vegas Golden Knight goalie. Luckily for the Blackhawks, they received some great news in regards to that on Sunday morning.

It is now official that Fleury will play next season. He has one year left on his contract and should be good to go with it. He is 36 years old and will be 37 about a month into the season. He is certainly good enough to play in the NHL still so it is good to hear that he plans to keep playing.

Saying he is good enough to play in the NHL still is actually an insult to him. He is more than good enough to play still. He won the Vezina trophy for the league’s best goalie in 2020-21 because he was so good. He was 26-10-0 which helped Vegas be one of the best teams in the NHL. He had a 1.98 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage. It was a marvelous year for the man known as “The Flower”.

Fleury is also wildly experienced when it comes to the playoffs. He joins Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane as teammates with three Stanley Cups. He has played in some of the highest pressured situations a goalie can play in.

?

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) August 1, 2021

Fleury informs CHI he will play https://t.co/thpscYRR3O

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) August 1, 2021

Marc-Andre Fleury will fit right in on the Chicago Blackhawks in 2021-22.

He is also a perfect fit for the Blackhawks team in more ways than one. He is one of the best goalies in the NHL against high-danger chances. The Blackhawks, as everyone knows, are very bad at limiting high danger chances. They are hoping that all of their new additions will help with that but Fleury will need to be good.

There is also a good goalie tandem now set. He will play with Kevin Lankinen who had a breakout year in 2020-21. If each of them is able to perform at the highest level that they can, this team might be able to be competitive. We know that they have some players that can score so now it is about defending. Fleury and Lankinen will help with that.

This was a great move for the Blackhawks. It is something that will spark the group and could lead to them being a good team. A lot of things need to go right in that very good Central Division but they will certainly have a better chance than last year. Fleury is a good player who will help that cause.

Related Story: The Blackhawks made some great free-agent signings

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As the Blackhawks’ 2021 goaltending duo, Kevin Lankinen and Malcolm Subban held their own far better than expected.

But if Marc-Andre Fleury joins Lankinen as half of the 2021-22 duo, the Hawks wouldn’t just enjoy surprisingly competent goaltending. They’d boast one of the best goaltending units in the NHL.

Whether or not the 36-year-old reigning Vezina Trophy winner will do that remains to be seen. The Hawks acquired Fleury and his $7 million cap hit last week for essentially nothing, aware of the possibility Fleury could choose to retire (and forgo his cap hit) rather than uproot or leave his Las Vegas-based family for a year in Chicago.

The Hawks have yet to receive a definitive answer, although the odds of Fleury playing for them do seem more promising than they initially did. Fleury’s agent, Allan Walsh, said Saturday there “should be some clarity soon.”

Update: Per multiple reports Sunday, Fleury has informed the Hawks he will play for them in 2021-22.

Despite the cap casualties it probably would cause, including trading at least one of Calvin de Haan or Dylan Strome, the Hawks would love to hear a “yes” from Fleury. One quick look at the data shows why.

After declining somewhat in 2018-19 and 2019-20 — albeit understandably, given his age — the three-time Stanley Cup champion delivered one of the best performances of his career in 2021. His 26-10-0 record, alongside ex-Hawks goalie Robin Lehner’s 13-4-2 mark, helped an already-stacked Golden Knights team win the William Jennings Trophy (fewest goals allowed) and nearly claim the Presidents’ Trophy.

Detailed statistics further demonstrate Fleury’s dominance. At even strength, he ranked eighth (among 67 goalies) in overall save percentage and 10th in save percentage against high-danger shots. Lankinen ranked 17th and 24th, respectively, and Subban 57th and 63rd.

For a more holistic analysis, consider goals saved above average (GSAA), which compares a goalie’s performance with how an average goalie would have performed against the same quantity and quality of shots.

At even strength, Fleury ranked fifth in GSAA at plus-13.0, part of an elite group of six goalies — including the Predators’ Juuse Saros, Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy, Islanders’ Semyon Varlamov, Hurricanes’ Alex Nedeljkovic, Panthers’ Chris Driedger and himself — to finish in double digits. Lankinen finished 11th at plus-7.3 and Subban 53rd at minus-5.8.

Fleury was just as dominant on the penalty kill, ranking ninth in save percentage and sixth in GSAA. By comparison, Lankinen struggled mightily on the penalty kill (ranking 56th and 58th, respectively), while Subban finished near the middle (19th and 22nd).

The Hawks’ previously porous, now reconstructed defense probably won’t give Fleury quite the same protection he enjoyed with Vegas, which — combined with his advancing age — probably will equate to some regression toward the mean. Even factoring that in, though, the Hawks still could expect Fleury to deliver top-10 overall results.

He also would be able to mentor Lankinen, sharing the lessons of 17 NHL seasons while keeping Lankinen’s workload — which tired out the young Finn in the final month of last season — manageable over an 82-game schedule.

But it all depends on Fleury’s willingness to come. As tantalizing as it is to imagine Fleury’s tremendous impact on the Hawks, it’s equally easy to picture a situation unfolding like Corey Crawford’s ill-fated Devils stint, which didn’t survive one week of training camp.

For now, Fleury’s mindset remains a mystery.

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WASHINGTON – The Cubs have gone to a youth movement and with many of the team’s veteran players now on other teams, there will be several opportunities for some lesser-known names to make an impact at the major-league level.

Left-hander Justin Steele is going to be one of the young players who will get the first crack at some of those chances. Steele has been getting stretched out to be a starter again at Triple-A Iowa after pitching in the Cubs’ bullpen earlier this season and has pitched well.

The young southpaw had a 0.89 ERA in six games (four starts) in July and was up to five innings and 75 pitches in his last start on Thursday. It sounds like Steele’s time is right around the corner.

“I would say he’s really close. I think [we’re] gonna see just where he slots in. But yeah, I’ve had those conversations and I would say he’s close,” manager David Ross said. “I can’t tell you whether he’s gonna start with us or [Iowa] next, but he’s definitely getting close. … He’s definitely on track to get here sooner rather than later.”

Heuer sees opportunity with Cubs

Right-hander Codi Heuer’s world has changed dramatically over the last 48 hours. Heuer went from a roster that is viewed as a World Series contender with the White Sox and is now part of a rebuild with the Cubs.

Heuer was part of the deal that sent Craig Kimbrel to the White Sox and wants to take advantage of his new opportunities on the North Side. The young right-hander made his Cubs debut in Saturday’s 6-3 win over the Nationals, getting out of a bases-loaded, no outs jam.

“I wouldn’t want it any other way going into the fire with bases loaded,” Heuer said on Sunday. “Anytime I can help a guy get out of a jam and help the team win a game, it’s a good day.”

“There’s gonna be a lot of high leverage situations just like I’ve been doing in the past,” Heuer said. “I think the bullpen is gonna find a lot of their roles. So I think we’re gonna see how that goes here in the upcoming games.”

Heuer has elite stuff and with the Cubs sorting out their bullpen, he’s a natural fit for the team’s high-leverage situations, including some save opportunities.

“I feel like he’s probably our most dominant right-handed pitcher down there versus righties,” Ross said. “If we can slot him into the right spot at the back end, I don’t see why it’s not the ninth. But I’m not going to save him for just the closer role.”

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Chicago Bulls Rumors: Bulls linked to free agent guard Bryn Forbes by Ryan Heckman

When NBA free agency opens up in what amounts to just a few hours now, the Chicago Bulls will look a whole lot different. The Bulls are going to make some moves, and make them right away.

Aside from establishing a point guard of the future, the Bulls will have decisions to make on some of their own. One guy they have to figure out, in particular, is forward Lauri Markkanen.

The Bulls extended a qualifying offer to Markkanen, but they will likely attempt to sign-and-trade him. If they can get something in return for a guy who is bound to leave them, the Bulls should do so.

Recently, HoopsHype has learned of three confirmed suitors for Markkanen. The Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs will all be in the market to try and lure Markkanen from Chicago.

The inevitable is clear: Lauri Markkanen will move on from the Chicago Bulls once free agency begins.

Now that the Bulls know of three teams which desire to sign Markkanen, they may be able to work out a possible sign-and-trade.

After four years in Chicago, Markkanen will be finding a new home very shortly. The former Arizona standout shot a career-best from long distance last year (40.2 percent) but also saw his production dip elsewhere.

In his second year with the Bulls, Markkanen averaged almost 19 points and 9.0 rebounds. The Bulls saw a much more aggressive Markkanen in his sophomore year, but then-head coach Jim Boylen toned down the approach for his young forward in the coming season.

Markkanen became less aggressive and was essentially told to just shoot outside shots and jumpers, while attacking the hoop became a thing of the past. No longer did Markkanen produce in the paint or see his rebounding numbers towards double digits.

Last year, Markkanen still didn’t revert to his aggressive former self, as he posted only 5.3 rebounds per game — a career low.

The Bulls probably want to move forward with someone like Patrick Williams as their primary power forward, or potentially shifting between the three and four. Markkanen has not been a fit, and will hopefully find success elsewhere in a fresh start.

The last time the Bulls had a bigger decision in regards to a qualifying offer was back when Zach LaVine was a restricted free agent, and they almost saw the Sacramento Kings sign him away.

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With Markkanen’s situation, the Bulls could end up coming out on top if they receive the green light on a sign-and-trade. The only question becomes, what is Markkanen worth in that type of deal? It’s very possible the Bulls get an asset like a late first-rounder or even a protected first. If that’s the case, Chicago should pull the trigger.

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Rapper DaBaby was pulled from Sunday’s Lollapalooza amid a brewing controversy over homophobic comments he made during another festival performance last week in Florida.

“Lollapalooza was founded on diversity, inclusivity, respect, and love,” the festival said in a statement Sunday on Twitter. “With that in mind, DaBaby will no longer be performing at Grant Park tonight.”

DaBaby, real name Jonathan Kirk, has come under heavy fire after he went on a controversial rant last Sunday at the Rolling Loud music festival in Miami Gardens, Florida, that targeted gay people and those living with sexually transmitted diseases. During the tirade he falsely referred to HIV and AIDS as “them deadly sexually transmitted diseases that’ll make you die in two to three weeks.”

The North Carolina rapper’s comments have since prompted backlash from some of music’s biggest names, including Madonna and Elton John.

John, who is gay and lives with HIV, said his team was “shocked to read about the HIV misinformation and homophobic statements made at a recent DaBaby show. This fuels stigma and discrimination and is the opposite of what our world needs to fight the AIDS epidemic,” John tweeted July 28th.

Young Thug will now perform in DaBaby’s place Sunday at 9 p.m. on the Bud Light Seltzer stage. And G Herbo will perform at the 4 p.m. slot on the T-Mobile stage.

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