Game Presentation Protocols, Could Some Superstars Sit Out the First Month? Markkanen Abroad (And Other Bulls Bullets)

How frustrating has it been to watch the Bears offense? Well, it makes me miss watching the 2019-20 Bulls offense, so yeah.

•   An announcement regarding the start of the 2020-21 season might be right around the corner. The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Tuesday morning that the NBA has sent out “game presentation protocols” to all organizations around the league. Obviously, the point of the guidelines is to help develop a suitable game atmosphere in the absence of fans.

•   The first two bullets points are as to be expected, especially after what we’ve seen from the NFL and MLB over their respective seasons. As for the possibility of team arena entertainers … I’m a bit confused. Is the Red Panda just supposed to catch plates on her head for the towel boys? Will the Rim Rockers be out there to pump up the announcers? I’m all for making this thing feel as normal as possible, but this seems unnecessary. I mean, have you folks seen the mascots at NFL games? They’re literally just roaming around the stands and floss dancing every once in a while. Like, who is that for? Robby Anderson?

•   Anyway, if the league has started to send out these protocols, it could tell us that more information is on the horizon. We know the league has discussed a start date around December 22nd, and they’re going to have to confirm that soon if they want to provide the NBPA with the eight-week notice they want. In fact, Dec. 22nd is eight weeks from today, so if that is “go time,” the league has to let players know tonight. This is why the next few days will be key. The league can reportedly haul in an additional $500 million if they start around the holidays, and the eight-week mark until the coveted Christmas Day will be Friday. Stay tuned.

•   The Lakers’ Danny Green joined The Ringer NBA Show to talk about his team’s title run and the upcoming season. When asked to share his thoughts on the end-of-December start, he didn’t sound particularly happy. Green went as far as to say that he wouldn’t be surprised if certain Lakers players sat out for the first month of the season. Obviously, if that included LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the league could have quite the issue on their hands. At the same time, he admitted the two Finals teams – the Lakers and Heat – would probably be the most frustrated by the decision, while many others around the league could be more than comfortable stepping back on the court. Still, this will be something to watch as the conversations heat up. If the NBA has taught us anything, it’s that they will not make a decision without their superstars’ approval.

•   The Athletic’s Darnell Mayberry asked an important question in his latest column: What will the Bulls do with Thaddeus Young and Tomas Satoransky. In my opinion, both should have been on the trade market yesterday. I still think there is a world where both can prove valuable as veteran leaders, but there is also a more realistic world where the Bulls benefit more from moving them. Young, specifically, doesn’t quite fit with what the Bulls are trying to do. He also kind of just deserves better.

•   Could the Bulls really walk away from draft night with one of the most polarizing prospects?

•   If Lauri Markkanen wants to go play for his country’s team, he has the option.

•   VOTE. VOTE. VOTE.

written by

Elias Schuster is the Lead Chicago Bulls writer at Bleacher Nation. He started with BN full-time in 2019 immediately after graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign with a degree in Journalism (yes, he started with the Jim Boylen Era). Since joining, Elias has been the driving force behind Bulls and NBA content for both the site and social accounts. You can follow him on Twitter/X @Schuster_Elias.

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