NEWSLETTER
In the third grade, we had an event known as the Reading Olympics. Yes, it was as dumb as it sounded.
The teachers set up a series of challenges that students could only complete after answering a reading and writing-based multiple choice question. From what I recall, all of the challenges were meant to be completed in succession. After you answered a question and threw the ball into the cup, you could move on to answer the next question and balance the book on your head (and so on).
How fast you completed these challenges equated to something like 25 percent of your final score. But, at 8-years-old, you tend to care more about being first than being right. With that in mind, I decided not to read a single multiple-choice question and circle the same letter every time: B.
Several of my fellow classmates (aka suckers) fell far behind as I swiftly completed each task thanks to my elite hand-eye coordination and athleticism. I came out the other end first, and the teachers were a mixture of impressed and (rightfully) skeptical.
I probably should note: There was no way for the teachers to know my bogus strategy. A different adult was stationed at each activity to separately keep track of our answers, so all the “judges” would hear is whether or not a student got the answer right as opposed to what they actually answered. I know, foolproof.
Anyway, later in the day was the medal ceremony. I got what I wanted with a shoutout for finishing first. This was basically the highlight of my entire life … until 30 seconds later. Guess who ended up highest on the podium with some plastic gold around his neck!? That’s right.
Always pick B.
• So I guess you could say I know how Zach LaVine felt last night. Welcome to the gold medal club!
Job finished pic.twitter.com/Uzc3rm5PAV
— Zach LaVine (@ZachLaVine) August 7, 2021
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🇺🇸 @ZachLaVine x 🥇#Tokyo2020 #Basketball pic.twitter.com/HLJPmEkORr
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) August 7, 2021
How Sweet It is #GoldHabits 🥇
🇺🇸 #USABMNT x #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/tetmNntN8W
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) August 7, 2021
• I could not be happier for this guy. With his first All-Star nod and now an Olympic gold medal around his neck, he will walk into the 2021 NBA season with a well-deserved spotlight over his head. What he does under that spotlight is something only time can tell, but I expect we see his game take another leap in the right direction after a valuable Team USA experience.
• If you don’t stan Zach, there is the door.
Coaches don’t receive medals. So Kevin Durant and Zach LaVine just put theirs around Gregg Popovich’s neck.
— Mike Finger (@mikefinger) August 7, 2021
• The NBA does not have a tampering problem, it has a “trying to control” tampering problem. Every single offseason front offices speak about deals before the official start of free agency. If not, how the hell do we get a downpour of contract agreements from Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania the very second free agency opens? The league has no way to stop this unless they send FBI agents to wiretap every single executive in the NBA (Adam Silver’s ears just perked up). But, in an effort to look like they care, we have seen them crackdown on numerous teams before, and it’s now the Chicago Bulls turn.
The Chicago Bulls Are Under Investigation For Tampering Due to the Lonzo Ball Sign-and-Tradehttps://t.co/BMHacxIJHL
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) August 7, 2021
• If the league finds any wrongdoing between the Bulls and Pelicans, they can technically throw out the deal (AKA Lonzo Ball would not be a Bull). Fortunately, the chance of that happening feels pretty slim. Not only did the Ball (and Lowry) transactions have a massive ripple effect on the rest of the NBA, but that feels ridiculously aggressive when we, once again, consider how much tampering truly goes on behind the scenes. Instead, the punishment (if found guilty) would likely be centered around draft assets and fines.
• I’ve seen many already bring up the Milwaukee Bucks punishment from last season where the team was forced to hand over a 2022 second-round pick. While this could very well be closer to what we see for a team like Chicago or Miami, there is a very good chance that punishment is more severe. Milwaukee was penalized for having premature talks about acquiring free-agent Bogdan Bogdanovic in a sign-and-trade. This deal fell through because Bogdanovic wanted to test the restricted free agency waters, and he went on to sign with the Atlanta Hawks. The fact he did not end up with the Bucks played a role in determining their punishment. In this case, it is assumed that both Lowry and Ball will still end up with their respective S&T partners, thus possibly strengthening the slap on the wrist.
I don’t believe that the trades will get voided if the parties are guilty of wrongdoing.
However, the penalties will definitely be more severe than what we saw last year with Milwaukee. https://t.co/DPDYeSpIOW
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) August 7, 2021
• FWIW: The Bulls could point to their negotiations with New Orleans at the trade deadline as a way to justify their actions. These two were reportedly close to a Ball deal, and we did receive reports in March that they could already have the framework for a sign-and-trade in the works.
• Also, thanks to ESPN’s report on the tampering investigation, we learned that the Ball deal has not yet been completed. Unlike how Miami has announced the addition of Kyle Lowry, it appears Chicago and New Orleans are still working through the logistics.
New Orleans agreed to trade Ball, a restricted free agent, to Chicago on a four-year, $85 million contract for Garrett Temple on a new three-year, $15.5 million contract and guard Tomas Satoransky. That deal has yet to be finalized with the league office and could look different in its final form, sources said.
• Is this also a reason for concern? No, I don’t believe so. These sign-and-trade deals can be complicated, and the Bulls have a lot of moving pieces this summer. Not to mention, they are still trying to resolve the Lauri Markkanen situation, and they might be waiting to get him elsewhere before they finalize all their other transactions.
• Positive spin: We live in a world where the Bulls might get punished for being too aggressive! I’m not sure we have ever been able to say that before!
• In more happy news, the Bulls play their first Summer League game on Monday!
Summer League Training Camp is a wrap… Next stop, Las Vegas! ✈️
Watch the first episode of Inside Summer League at https://t.co/N8dO7c9zvP@ATT | #SummerLeague pic.twitter.com/2uI2Imt1F7
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) August 7, 2021
https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1424102261005955076?s=20
