NEWSLETTER
It’s all going according to plan!
Did you think Kevin Durant actually wanted a trade this offseason!? You dummy!
Durant’s goal all long was to anger the Nets front office so that they move him for nothing more than a couple of second-round picks at the trade deadline. He’ll purposely average, like, 4.3 points and 0 rebounds on 32 percent shooting from the field over the first half of the season, and the Bulls will acquire him at a massive discount. Simple as that!
MUAHAHAHA!
- Merely the thought of a Kevin Durant trade was enough to keep teams across the league from going about some normal offseason business. A deal of that magnitude can have significant ripple effects, and smart front offices will wait and see if they can take advantage of those. Veteran guard Patrick Beverley seemed to speak to this concept on Twitter moments after the Durant news broke. And the man of the hour wasn’t happy about it.
- Look, is Durant to blame for all of this Nets nonsense? No. Kyrie Irving has been arguably the most dysfunctional player in the NBA, and the James Harden situation put the organization in a very strange place. Having said that, Durant decided to team up with Irving, likely encouraged the organization to trade for Harden, and demanded the trade earlier this summer. To say he is void of any blame would be wrong, especially this summer when he did hold up the trade market with his request.
- Kyrie Irving seems happy to have his running mate back in Brooklyn. Now, will he actually try to play with him?
- I have to be honest, after the initial trade request, I thought the Kevin Durant saga became so boring so fast. But Bill Simmons is also right – at least it kept me busy during the offseason.
- While Brooklyn finished 7th in the Eastern Conference last season, any team that has Durant has to be considered a Finals contender. The news today immediately thrusts Brooklyn back up the totem pole, which means I now have to consider them ahead of the Chicago Bulls in the playoff race. Of course, we all know the wheels can fall off fast for that team, but their talent level (on paper) is better than what the Bulls have to offer. This is why I had my fingers crossed that Durant would end up out West. The longer he is in the East, the harder it will be for the Bulls to continue their ascent up the ranks.
- I am offended on DeMar DeRozan’s behalf that his back-to-back game-winners were not included in this video.
- I forbid the NBA from celebrating Clutch Week without airing a two-hour-long documentary about DeRozan’s clutch gene. No player had more points in the 4th quarter this season than the Bulls’ All-Star, and only Joel Embiid had more points in clutch situations (and he led by just one). DeRozan shot an absurd 53.5 percent from the field in his 38 clutch games, and he also got to the free-throw line more than anyone. As Clutch Week continues over NBA social media, I expect all of this to be shared. GET ON IT, ADAM SILVER (who obviously spends his time running the league’s social channels).
- As I was saying …
- In case you’ve missed it, Bulls Fest is set for next weekend at the United Center. The team released a full schedule of events on Saturday and Sunday. In addition to a massive 3×3 basketball tournament, you’ll also have a chance to meet players like Ayo Dosunmu and Dalen Terry, as well as Arturas Karnisovas and Marc Eversley. I’m planning to make it out there for a least one of the days!
- Bulls Legend.
- The Bulls still have a two-way contract available. I’m just saying.
- Definitely don’t give it to this kid, though:
- More basketball at the United Center? Yes, please!
- The Bears announce some roster moves as the season inches closer …
- Hey, that’s cool!
