Daily Dose of Zach LaVine News, Jimmy G. Buckets, Lakers Add a New Head Coach, and Other Bulls Bullets
The parents are about to move out of the childhood home, which meant it was finally time to grab the few boxes I had stashed there from when I originally moved out. One of those boxes: An unhealthy amount of baseball and basketball cards.
I’m pretty sure I wrote about this very box way back during my early time here at BN Bulls. I can’t even begin to describe how many freakin’ cards there are, and I can’t even begin to describe the number of times I’ve tried to organize said freakin’ cards to no avail.
Every time I start to go through them, it begins to feel like a pie-eating contest. The first few stacks present a completely enjoyable and appetizing experience. I can do this! Piece of cake pie! Then, I quickly become mentally stuffed by the sheer amount of cards left and vomit everywhere.
My plan is to try to go through all of these cads again soon, but if you have any recommendations for how to best approach this process, it would be much appreciated.
• Annoyed by all the Zach LaVine talk already? Same! But my *literal* job is to be the annoying guy who shares practically every ounce of Bulls news, so here is the latest. The Chicago Sun-Times’ Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley reiterated that all signs point to the front office offering LaVine the full-max contract when free agency opens in July:
All indications from the offices of the Advocate Center are that the Bulls will offer him that max deal and take that leap of faith. It will be up to LaVine to decide whether the feeling is mutual or whether he rather would move on, leaving executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas possibly to go the sign-and-trade route.
• He also repeated what we’ve heard from many, which is that LaVine is expected to test the waters and go through the wine-and-dine process he’s (rightfully) earned. However, if the Bulls are prepared to offer LaVine the full max, these dinners and conversations may be more about stirring up hype than anything else. I just find it so hard to believe LaVine would leave a fifth year and an extra $50 million on the table to go elsewhere. Not only would that be a shocking financial decision, but it could be an extremely confusing basketball decision (depending on where he goes). The Bulls still offer the most obvious future No. 1 role, which is why I think this commotion about how he doesn’t love his role next to DeRozan is more made-up than the Narpus animal I created when I was 11 (half narwhal, half platypus, duh).
One Report Downplays the Recent Zach LaVine Rumors, Says a Lot is Coming from Klutchhttps://t.co/W503tyA94U pic.twitter.com/ZNlOBuYcNF
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) May 25, 2022
• If LaVine is truly open to considering new homes, though, the Dallas Mavericks will reportedly be waiting in line. We first heard the organization’s name come up when NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson wrote about rumors at the draft combine. Now, long-time NBA Insider Marc Stein is making the connection: “… one option already being weighed by team brass is the prospect of joining the sign-and-trade bidding for the Chicago Bulls’ Zach LaVine, amid a growing belief around the league that LaVine, as he heads into free agency, has more interest in leaving Chicago than initially presumed.”
• Stein goes on to note that this acquisition could be rather complicated, especially if the organization also hopes to retain breakout point guard Jalen Brunson. Also, I just can’t picture LaVine’s interest ever moving past the surface with this team. While they have a superstar in Luka Doncic to sell, as well as a recent Western Conference Finals berth, LaVine’s would forever and always be second-fiddle. He would have far less leeway than he does in Chicago thanks to Doncic. I mean, hey, perhaps he’s willing to give that up to play with someone as talented as Doncic … but I’m not sure I’m buying that right now.
• Jimmy G. Buckets. The ‘G’ stands for *points microphone out to the crowd* “GETS!”
Jimmy Buckets!!!
— DeMar DeRozan (@DeMar_DeRozan) May 28, 2022
• The former Bull kept his team alive last night with one of the single best performances of his career. He dropped 47 points (16-29) with 9 rebounds, 8 assists, and 4 steals in a Thibs-like 45 minutes of action. Absurd.
Spoelstra on Jimmy’s minutes: “I didn’t see how many minutes he played. Probably close to the Chicago Bulls kind of minutes.”
Somewhere Thibs beams.
— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) May 28, 2022
• I got to be honest, the more I watch Butler absolutely take over in playoff games, the more I really want him to snag a ring. Year after year his consistency seems to be a bit overlooked, and I do think the perception of his career would officially change with a Larry O’Brien Trophy. Now, would it pain me to see the Miami Heat win another ring? Absolutely. But it would at least ease the pain knowing Butler got it done.
to make it official …
Most points in a playoff win, facing elimination, on road:
50: Wilt Chamberlain, PHL at BOS, 1960
47: Jimmy Butler, MIA at BOS, 2022
46: Jayson Tatum, BOS at MIL, 2022
45: LeBron James, MIA at BOS, 2012
45: Kawhi Leonard, LAC at DAL, 2021— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) May 28, 2022
• The Los Angeles Lakers have poached one of the East’s best assistants:
ESPN story on the Los Angeles Lakers hiring Darvin Ham on a four-deal as the franchise's new coach: https://t.co/ZmUW3UxMZW
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 28, 2022
• I never want good things for the Lakers, so I’m extremely bummed to see they made a smart hire. Darvin Ham was somebody I wrote a lot about when the Bulls were in the hunt for their next head coach after AKME took over. A former NBA player and champion (as a player and coach), he has tremendous respect around the league and has consistently been praised for his play-development skills. He’s on the younger side (48) and has been a massive part of the Milwaukee Bucks’ success over the past few seasons. Ham does have a past with the Lakers, working with the franchise as an assistant from 2011 to 2013.
• A closer look at some interesting names:
The NBA Draft is Less Than a Month Away – Here’s Who’s Being Connected to the Chicago Bullshttps://t.co/VgCHxcZzUy pic.twitter.com/z7NhgbNKuS
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) May 27, 2022
• Crosstown Classic time.
Series Preview: Cubs at White Sox, May 28 – May 29, 2022 – https://t.co/oq3rHnSJmQ pic.twitter.com/QIUyYib6Nb
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) May 28, 2022
• To those lost in Uvalde, RIP. Something has to change.
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) May 28, 2022
