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Dwyane Wade Likely To Opt Out If Bulls Trade Jimmy Butler

By
Matt Peck
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jimmy butler reveals learned trade timberwolves

The NBA trade deadline is rapidly approaching. Especially with Chicago’s irregularly mild winter, a month will fly by like nothing. Will the Bulls front office duo of Gar Forman and John Paxson make big moves before the clock strikes 2:00 PM CST on February 23rd? Namely, will they opt to finally begin a full-scale rebuild by trading away rising star Jimmy Butler? Their team is stuck in basketball purgatory in season two with Fred Hoiberg at the helm. The “three alphas” experiment, which began with the surprise signings of aging veterans Rajon Rondo and Dwyane Wade, was a serious detour from GarPax’s plan to get “younger and more athletic.” It’s also an experiment that appears to have failed as the Bulls (21-22) are fighting to remain relevant in the East’s playoff race.

If they do decide that a full rebuild is the best course of action, Bulls fans should be ready to say goodbye to Wade. A very nice homecoming for the Chicago native could end up being merely a quick stop at home before continuing his NBA journey elsewhere. The three time champion recently spoke with ESPN’s Nick Friedell about his future with the franchise he dreamed of playing for as a Chicago kid.

Jimmy Goes, I Go

While he didn’t come right out and say it, Wade gave the impression that he’s not interested in sticking around for a rebuild. He left Miami to play-and win-with his Marquette brother Jimmy.

“At the end of the year, you sit back and see what the team is, what direction they’re going in. I would be a liar to say that I want to play on a team with all 21-year-olds and be a part of the future building. I would be a fool to say that. But you also want to be in the best position for what you think is for you at that time, too.” – Dwyane Wade

And if the Bulls were to trade Butler?

“One of the main reasons I’m here is Jimmy. He’s the one who called me and got me to come here. So that’s a big part of my decision and everything else, is what Jimmy’s doing, what his future looks like and all that. And I’ve made it very clear. So I have no idea from that standpoint. You just have to wait and see and then see what works out.” – Dwyane Wade

Reason To Stay

Wade signed a two year, $47 million contract with the Bulls last summer. He has a player option on that second season. That means if GarPax decide to trade Jimmy to jump-start the rebuild, Wade will almost certainly take his talents to a team with higher expectations for contending next season.

There is another possible scenario: Butler stays, the Bulls get healthy and make some noise down the stretch. If Hoiberg can figure out a rotation that works, the role players step up on a more consistent basis and Butler continues his superstar level of play, the Bulls could get to the playoffs and even win a series. A lot has to go right for that to happen. But if it does, and GarPax convince Wade they plan to bring in more help this summer, he just might decide to stick around for a second season.

Big Decision

Wade said he has enjoyed his time back in Chicago, but when the time comes it’s all about making the best decision for his family and the remaining years of his career. You can bet he’ll think long and hard about what these Bulls have in store for the coming years.

“You evaluate the year from an organization standpoint, from a player’s standpoint: How you loved it, how you liked it, how you hated it, whatever the case may be…You kind of sit back and – being 35 – you evaluate your years. What do you want to do? How many more years you thinking about playing? What’s the best thing to do? Is it to sign a contract, or is it to opt out and try to get a longer [deal]? It’s a lot of things you weigh.” – Dwyane Wade

If he decides to opt out, Wade will certainly get offers this summer. His body may be on the decline at 35, but he’s still a strong player and excellent leader for any NBA locker room. This summer isn’t close, despite what these warm Chicago days may suggest. But the trade deadline is right around the corner. Based on these recent thoughts from Wade, at least one thing is fairly clear: if Butler isn’t on the Bulls roster on February 24th, his pal Wade won’t stick around much longer.

Former Scout Thinks This Is The Chicago Bears Best QB Solution

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears qb plans

It seems like the debate rages every single year. The Chicago Bears haven’t had a Pro Bowl quarterback since 1985. That is now 32 years. It’s also the last year they won a Super Bowl. Is that a coincidence? Probably not because the previous Pro Bowl quarterback they had before that was 1963 when they won the NFL championship.

Yet each April it seems like the argument must be had again between those who say it’s time to take a quarterback early and those who say it can wait until later. Focus on the defense. Well every front office regime has focused in that direction since then. While the Bears have had some excellent defenses over that span, they have no rings to show for it.

Jay Cutler is done. Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley are free agents (and backups). Where is that elusive franchise quarterback this team has hungered for? At least one prominent expert thinks he has the answer.

Taj Gibson Calls Out Jimmy Butler For Lying About All Star Nod

By
Matt Peck
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taj gibson jimmy butler lying allstar bulls
Mar 14, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson (22) talks to forward Jimmy Butler (21) against the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre. The Bulls beat the Raptors 109-107. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Jimmy Butler is hoping to earn his 3rd consecutive All Star selection this season. He certainly deserves it and will undoubtedly be chosen as a coach’s reserve if not voted into one of the starting spots by fans, players and media. The second return of votes had Jimmy ranked 5th among forwards in the Eastern Conference.

When asked by members of the Chicago media if he cared about making it to another All Star Game, Butler defiantly said no.

“I don’t care…That doesn’t mean anything to me right now. If I’m there, I’m there. If I’m not, I’ll be in Barbados, enjoying the weather.’’ – Jimmy Butler

At least one of his teammates isn’t buying that at all. Here’s what Taj Gibson had to say to K.C. Johnson about Butler dismissing the significance of making another All Star appearance:

Gibson is probably right. Given the way that Butler has elevated his play yet again this season, it must mean something to be recognized for his individual hard work. But Jimmy is the leader of this team, and he has to let everyone know that his top concern is getting wins.

That doesn’t mean his teammates won’t call him out when they know he’s lying.

TNT will reveal the starting All Stars for each conference in a live show Thursday evening at 6:00 CST.

Bulls Reportedly Interested In Suns Forward P.J. Tucker

By
Matt Peck
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bulls reportedly interested suns forward pj tucker

The NBA trade deadline is just over a month away, and Bulls fans are anxiously awaiting to see what the front office duo of Gar Forman and John Paxson do with the current roster. Will they decide to be sellers and make moves to acquire young players or draft picks to set up the next phase of a rebuild? Or, will they double down on their attempt to make the playoffs this season by adding what they deem to be a necessary piece?

You never know with those two.

But a recent report from John Gambadoro of ArizonaSports.com lists the Bulls as one of several teams interested in acquiring Phoenix Suns forward P.J. Tucker.

“According to my NBA sources, the Clippers, Bulls, Cavaliers, Timberwolves and Hawks all have interest in acquiring the lock-down physical defender who is in the last year of his contract at just $5.3 million.” – John Gambadoro

Tucker is a veteran small forward whose professional career has seen many twists and turns. The Toronto Raptors selected him with their second round pick in 2006, but was waived the following year after spending time with their D-League affiliate. Tucker then spent the next five years playing overseas, making stops in Israel, Ukraine, Greece, Italy, Germany and Russia.

In 2012, he played for the Suns in Summer League and was rewarded with a two year deal. He earned another contract from Phoenix in 2014 and is currently playing the final season of that deal. At 6’6, Tucker is an elite and versatile defender who’s capable of guarding multiple positions on the floor. He’s not a huge threat offensively, but he can knock down three pointers with some consistency, especially from the corners.

Tucker & Taj

Gambadoro believes the Suns are looking for a first round pick in return for Tucker. That asking price might be too high, considering he’d likely just be a half-season loaner for a hopeful contender. With another jump in the league’s salary cap coming, even a mid-tier player like Tucker could cash a huge payday as a free agent this summer.

From the Bulls’ perspective, pursuing Tucker doesn’t make much sense. They already have a veteran forward on an expiring contract. His name is Taj Gibson, and if GarPax have any sense they’ll be selling him at the deadline. By doing so they can ideally gain a first round draft pick and free up minutes in the frontcourt for Bobby Portis, who desperately needs more time to develop. Chicago is also reportedly interested in Suns point guard Brandon Knight. The Bulls definitely need a young point guard more than a 31 year old forward, but Knight is really struggling this season. They’d be best served to sell their own assets at the deadline and sign a free agent point guard (ideally one who can shoot) this summer.

History Says There’s A Blueprint From Worst To First And The Bears Are Following It

By
✶ SM Chris ✶
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A common flaw in failure is attempting to implement the next great thing rather than simply modifying instructions for something that’s already been done. When reading everyone’s opinion on the Chicago Bears and the solutions they should implement it’s clear most fans think they are pretty far away from a playoff birth. The fact of the matter is they’ve done this before, gone from worst to first that is, and if you look closely you’ll see that the current Bears are following the same plan.

Back In 2004

Let’s rewind back to 2004. Chicago suffered a brutal 5-11 season and finished dead last in the NFC North. It was Lovie Smith’s first year as head coach and the Bears were coming off two straight third place finishes in the division in ’03 and ’02. Their leading quarterback coming out of the 2004 season was Chad Hutchinson and he had a whopping 903 yards for the year. Behind him was Craig Krenzel with 718 passing yards, Jonathan Quinn and second-year quarterback Rex Grossman who suffered an injury. The defense was also riddled with injuries. Brian Urlacher only started nine games, Charles Tillman seven and Mike Brown only two. Sound familiar?

If you’re paying attention you’ll notice the Bears had a shitty quarterback situation, a decent defense and decent special teams.

Now, what if I told you they went on to win 11 games, Lovie Smith won coach of the year and Chicago won the division for only the second time in 10 years the following season? Here’s how they did it.

Chicago Is Watching The Blackhawks Less and Less

By
Marc-Louis Paprzyca
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The Chicago Blackhawks have been atop with Western Conference much of the season but viewing is down in Chicago, according to Crain’s. Only about 109, 000 local households are tuning into the Blackhawks these days and it could mark a decrease for the second consecutive season.

One of the hurdles the Blackhawks faced early in the season was the Cubs World Series run. Three of their games went head to head with either an NLCS or World Series game. That included their lowest rated game on November 1 against the Calgary Flames (1.31).

I don’t think it is unreasonable to believe that the recent election also played a role in the the ratings decline. The election included two of the most polarizing candidates in history that kept people glued to the news.

Almost expectedly, the highest rated games of the season have all come from mid-December to early January. All the previous distractions and the Bears had wound down. Add the weather, and it’s the perfect time of year to watch Blackhawks hockey.

1. Dec. 23 vs. Colorado: 4.52
2. Jan. 6 vs. Carolina: 4.48
3. Dec. 20 vs. Ottawa: 4.44
4. Jan. 5 vs. Buffalo: 4.32
5. Dec. 29 vs. Nashville: 3.79

All that being said, I think the Blackhawks were due for some declines from their peak in 2013. They were at their height of popularity and even the viewing of their nationally televised outdoor games has fallen.

There are still die hard fans out there watching but for a lot of people the Blackhawks were a new relationship. It was sexy and fun at first, then you got married, and the honeymoon is over.

Top Draft Experts Make Identical Picks For Chicago Bears at #3

By
Erik Lambert
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chicago bears

Who are the Chicago Bears going to take with the #3 overall pick? This is going to be the question that dominates social media, chat lines, phone conversations and war rooms for the next few months. The truth is people are having a difficult time pinning down what direction the team might go. If only because there are so many.

It’s no secret the Bears have plenty of roster needs. After all they were decimated by injuries this past season, a huge contributor to their 3-13 finish. Depth is a problem everywhere and there are still positions with no clear cut starter. In other words the rebuild is ongoing and the top brass know there is lots of work to do.

Well the top experts in the draft field have begun their in-depth evaluations of the upcoming class. As their feel of the strengths and weaknesses grow, the mock draft have begun to come out. Two of the top experts just joined the fray, and their selection for the Bears was certainly an eye-opener.

Rumors are swirling about a reunion between Blackhawks and Patrick Sharp

By
Matt Barbato
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The Chicago Blackhawks might be in the market for another top six forward and many are speculating that a reunion with an awfully familiar face who now plays for a divisional foe could be in order.

That’s right. Patrick Sharp to the Blackhawks rumors are starting to fire up after several writers speculated that Sharp could be a good fit to return to Chicago after being traded to the Dallas Stars two years ago.

The Athletic’s Brian Hedger got the ball rolling when he threw Sharp in the mix as someone the Hawks could try to acquire at the trade deadline. Then, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman openly wondered in his 30 thoughts column whether Sharp could be an answer for Chicago’s depth problem.

A reunion with Sharp could be a move that potentially takes the Blackhawks over the top. He’s still a quality, veteran winger who put up 20 goals and 55 points in his first season with Dallas. He has only played in 20 games this season, netting four goals and nine points, but his familiarity with Chicago’s system and roster makes this move a natural fit. Plus, Sharp could provide Jonathan Toews the jumpstart he desperately needs on the top line.

But is the deal feasible? That’s an entirely different story.

The Stars are mired in mediocrity right now at 19-18-1, but are only two points back of the final wild card spot in the Western Conference. Obviously, the team will have a better idea of where it stands in the playoff race come February’s trade deadline. But, a four or five-game rut could prompt Dallas to start selling, which is kind of crazy considering the Stars won the Central Division last season.

Sharp would be one of the more obvious candidates for a trade. The problem is — here we go again — cap space!

Sharp is on the final year of a contract he signed with the Hawks in 2011 and accrues a cap hit of $5.9 million this season. At the moment, the Blackhawks have approximately $3.34 million in cap space, per Cap Friendly. So, there’s a disparity there.

Now, the Hawks could plead the Stars to maintain some of Sharp’s salary. That figure would likely be in the neighborhood of $2 million. But, Dallas won’t just do that for a division rival out of the kindness of its heart. It’d likely cost them a decent, if not prized, prospect just in the cost of doing business.

So, while a reunion with Sharpie might get Blackhawks fans excited, it’s going to be an extremely difficult move to pull off. Stan Bowman has shown in the past he’s willing to make whatever deal necessary to give his team the best chance at winning a Stanley Cup. He’s sacrificed some long-term pieces for runs at the title, and it’s worked three times.

The question is whether Sharp would give Chicago a substantial boost in their quest for a fourth.

CNN Makes Bold Claim Regarding Wrigley Field

By
Gus
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While most of the world celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Day this past Monday, few people realize that January 16th also had relevance beyond Dr. King.

It was “blue Monday.”

If you’re like me and have no idea what the hell blue Monday is, there’s a reason behind that. The day was created in 2005 by a tutor at Cardiff University (which is located in Wales) who came up with a mathematical equation stating that the third Monday in January is the most depressing day of the year.

That tutor sounds like he/she has too much time on their hands.

You shouldn’t worry if you were equally as depressed as you normally are because as it turns out, blue Monday is complete bullshit. The “formula” was basically a calculation based on factors such as weather conditions, debt levels, time since Christmas, and time since failing our new year’s resolutions.

Yes, there are people who have already failed their New Year’s resolutions.

As cool as the mathematical equation sounds the day has since been debunked by pretty much everyone on Earth.

Not the people at CNN however.

They decided to come up with a “15 happiest places on Earth list” to combat those huge depression swings that were supposed to occur on Monday. The list contained only two places in North America and of course one of was Wrigley Field.

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Former White Sox Staple Tim Raines Finally Gets Into Cooperstown

By
Erik Lambert
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Tim Raines, Chicago White Sox, Hall of Fame

Chicago White Sox fans have argued for years that former outfielder Tim Raines deserved to make it into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Across a career spanning 23 years including five seasons in Chicago, he was a seven-time All-Star. He batted .294 and belted 170 home runs while stealing 808 bases. He also won two World Series titles with the Yankees in 1996 and 1997.

After retiring he decided to join the coaching ranks. Following a stint in the minors, he became an assistant with the White Sox in 2004 and was a big part of helping them win the World Series in 2005. Now the long-overlooked baseball staple is getting his due, becoming a member of the 2017 Hall of Fame class.

Joining him in the glorious celebration is slugger Jeff Bagwell and iconic catcher Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez. While Raines may not have been know for the big bats like they were, his value on the diamond was unquestionable. He had speed, played defense and was a crafty hitter at the plate. Yet when he wanted to he could uncork one deep.

Raines was one of those players that didn’t hog the spotlight. He was a glue guy who did everything the right way. Somebody fans grew to love because they knew they could always count on him to deliver a big play when the team needed it. That’s what Hall of Famers are all about. The fact he took his consistent excellence into coaching only enhances how great a baseball personality he is and was.

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