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Cavaliers & Timberwolves Reportedly Working On Jimmy Butler Trade

By
Matt Peck
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Another #WojBomb has been dropped.

Moments ago, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical tweeted that the Minnesota Timberwolves and Chicago Bulls have engaged in trade talks around Jimmy Butler this week.

This isn’t the first we’re hearing of a potential Butler-Timberwolves deal. Leading up to the draft and on draft night last year, many reports surfaced that Chicago and Minnesota spoke about sending Butler to the Timberwolves for a package of players and the #5 pick Minnesota used to land Providence point guard Kris Dunn.

Butler and Timberwolves President/head coach Tom Thibodeau have a rich history together. Under Thibs’ tutelage, Jimmy became one of the best defensive wings in the NBA and earned the Most Improved Player award in 2015.

The sides couldn’t agree to terms a year ago, and Minnesota kept Dunn. The Bulls reportedly haven’t changed their extremely high asking price for Butler. Given his ascension to an All-NBA level player, the asking price could be higher than it was a year ago. Will the Wolves pick in the 2017 draft (#7 overall) and two young players like Zach LaVine and Dunn be enough for the Bulls? Will the Wolves be willing to surrender two pieces of their young core?

Also worth noting, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune added that the Phoenix Suns could also be in play for a pre-draft Butler trade.

Just minutes later, ESPN’s Marc Stein dropped this bomb:

Jimmy teaming up with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving in Cleveland? That might get them one step closer to challenging the Warriors next season.

We’ll keep you posted on further developments.

Bears Getting Sued For Denying Packers Fan Access To Warm-Ups

By
Erik Lambert
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bears season ticket holder
CHICAGO, IL - JANUARY 23: Center Olin Kreutz #57 of the Chicago Bears prepares to snap the ball against the Green Bay Packers in the first half of the NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field on January 23, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Be warned if you’re a Bears season ticket holder. Even if you only mean something as a joke, it’s not a good idea to invoke the name of the Green Bay Packers while doing so. One person decided to play that game. Turns out a green and gold fan was loving the idea of poking the bear (pun intended) and got a reaction he wasn’t expecting.

What is clear is the team didn’t take too kindly when he tried to wear Packers gear to a pregame warmup. They actually denied him access over that. So he responded in kind…….with a lawsuit. The original story comes from Chicago Business and is all sorts of pettiness, rivalry and lunacy rolled into one.

Bears season ticket holder gets ACCESS DENIED

“A Green Bay Packers fan is taking the Chicago Bears to court over his right to wear Packers apparel on the field during a pregame warmup session he had access to through the team’s rewards system.

Wisconsin resident and Bears season-ticket holder Russell Beckman sued in federal court, seeking an order that the Bears let him don rival gear on game day.

At issue is the team’s policy for a season-ticket holder rewards program it launched in 2014. That “STH Experiences” system offers rewards points to longtime season-ticket holders that can be redeemed for a series of game-day experiences at Soldier Field.

Beckman, a Bears personal seat license and season-ticket holder since 2003, according to the suit, says in the complaint that he spent his rewards points in 2014 and 2015 on an offer to stand on the edge of the field during pregame warmups and wore Packers gear without any issue.

Then last season, he used his rewards points again for the pregame warm-up offer for the Bears-Packers game in December. A few days before, he got an email from the team with details for the experience that said “no opposing team gear would be allowed.”

Nature of the atmosphere

Wow. That is equal part savage and a tad bit juvenile. Then again isn’t that pretty much par for the course in a long-standing rivalry? This guy may have a legitimate beef in some aspects, but then again the Bears are well within their rights to change the policy. After all, it’s not like they’re barring him from the sidelines. He just can’t wear certain gear.

Think of it as one of those crafty ways the Nashville Predators tried to get Blackhawks fans to stay out of their home building. Sure it seems a little over the top but the job of the Bears organization is not to make Packers fans feel welcome. It’s to make Bears fans feel welcome. Outsiders from other teams can feel free to whine and complain about it from home.

It’s hard to say how far the man can get with his lawsuit, but odds are the Bears brass aren’t going to lose much sleep over it.

Jake Arrieta Finally Admits Why He’s Been Awful This Year

By
Aldo Soto
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anthony rizzo miguel montero
30 August 2015: Chicago Cubs Starting pitcher Jake Arrieta (49) [4002] hits for a single sits in the dugout as the bottom of the 9th inning approaches during a Major League Baseball game between Chicago Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. The game was won on a no-hitter by Chicago Cubs Starting pitcher Jake Arrieta (49) [4002].

Remember when Jake Arrieta was clapping back at Pittsburgh Pirates fans before the 2015 NL Wild Card Game and then a few days later he killed the entire city? That was awesome. The 2015 Jake Arrieta was a badass, so cocky, but he backed it up every single time. Hell, I wish the Chicago Cubs had the 2016 version of Jake Arrieta because right now all we’re seeing is a bad pitcher. From the start of 2017, everyone acknowledged that the velocity was down and that was the reason for Arrieta’s struggles.

On Friday, Arrieta admitted the real reason for his awful 2017 season.

It hasn’t been pretty for Arrieta, who has mixed in a few good starts, but overall is being hit hard. In recent weeks, a blister has been to blame for his issues, however in a recent interview Arrieta said the workload has taken its toll on him.

Via Ken Rosenthal:

“As much as we don’t want to say that it carries over from season to season, throwing almost 500 innings over the past two years, I think it did have some effect.”

“I’m not hurt or injured. It’s just that I think my body has reacted accordingly and it’s taken a little bit longer to regain the form that I would like to be in.”

(Jake Arrieta)

Before Arrieta was traded to the Cubs in 2013, he never pitched more than 119.1 innings in any of his three full years with the Baltimore Orioles. It wasn’t until 2014, when Arrieta eclipsed the 150-inning mark and then the inning totals shot up. From the start of the 2015 season through the 2016 World Series, Arrieta pitched 468.2 innings.

There’s only one other starter who’s pitched more innings than Arrieta since the beginning of 2015, and that’s Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals. Scherzer is almost two years old than Arrieta and in 2017, he’s been great for the Nationals, showing no signs of slowing down.

So, not great. Baseball can be so cruel sometimes. Before this season started most fans thought the Cubs rotation was going to be just fine. John Lackey was a concern and you never expect anything great from the fifth starter, but Jon Lester, Arrieta and Kyle Hendricks were supposed to be great. That trio has been everything but great and there’s no better poster child for the pitching struggles than Arrieta.

After Arrieta made those comments on Friday, he failed to get out of the fifth inning on Saturday against the Pirates. It was the second straight start Arrieta couldn’t get through five innings and the fourth time in 2017.

Who knows if Arrieta ever gets it back this year, but regardless of if he does or does not it’s becoming more evident that his time is coming to an end with the Cubs. If he can’t handle the workload from two consecutive postseasons, how is the team supposed to count on him in the future when they expect to continually play deep into October.

REPORT: The Cubs Have To Trade No. 1 Prospect To Get Chris Archer

By
Sean Sears
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The Cubs are after pitching this deadline season, and I’m sure this won’t be the last time I write that this season. But with the pitching staff hinging on two struggling veterans in Jake Arrieta and John Lackey, along with Kyle Hendricks currently on the 10-day DL, the Cubs essentially have one reliable pitcher in Jon Lester.

Clearly, that is a massive issue for a club that has hopes of playing this fall. Thankfully, the Cubs not only have options via trade, they arguably are the best suited team to make waves this deadline thanks to a well-stocked farm system and a talented MLB roster. However, just because the Cubs can make moves to land the top trade pieces this summer, doesn’t mean that deal is 100% at slam-dunk deal.

Names like Sonny Gray and Chris Archer would be great fits on this Cubs roster for not only 2017 but for the next few years, as both pitchers are under team control for multiple seasons. However, the asking price for both of those arms is reportedly steep, according Jeff Passan, a baseball writer for Yahoo Sports.

Passan was on 670 the Score earlier Monday morning and had this to say when asked about the Cubs trading for Tampa Bay’s Archer.

Losing a talent like Eloy Jimenez, while potentially worth obtaining a pitcher like Archer, is exceedingly hard to deal as Jimenez has been pegged to become the No. 1 prospect later this year. The Cubs top prospect has been battling a a shoulder injury and more recently a hamstring, but besides those to hiccups Jimenez has looked the part of an elite prospect.

In 27 games for the Cubs high A Myrtle Beach club, Jimenez is slashing .280/.385/.527 with six home runs and a 13.8% walk rate. He’s another glowing example of what Theo Epstein strives for in his players, patient batters who find ways to consistently get on base.

Personally, losing a player like Jimenez would be crushing since Eloy is easily one of my favorite prospects to come through the Cubs system in a long time (excluding guys like Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber). But dealing Jimenez in this deal to acquire an arm like the 28-year-old Archer, who could be under team control through 2021, is exactly the type of deal you would consider moving your top prospect for.

Even though Archer had a somewhat down year in 2016, he is off to a great start this season, with a 3.75 ERA and a career-high 11.17 K/9, Archer would be a much needed addition to the Cubs rotation for 2017 and further. And if it costs the Cubs Jimenez, while I don’t want to see the 20-year-old elite-outfielder go, it’s hard to fault the Cubs for making this move.

Expect these summer trade rumors to heat up for the Cubs.

Here’s Why Mitch Trubisky Will Play in 2017 (But Shouldn’t)

By
Erik Lambert
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mitch trubisky

A lot of Chicago Bears fans are already placing bets on when it will happen. When will the first Mitch Trubisky start occur? They heard the company line from GM Ryan Pace. The plan is for the young quarterback to sit on the bench and learn for this season while Mike Glennon handles the job. That sounds nice, until the realization comes back around.

Trubisky is a #2 overall draft pick. That comes with a certain stigma. Picks that high are expected to contribute right away. For an idea, of the 35 top five selections from 2010 to 2016 just one of them didn’t play a single snap his rookie season and that was because of an injury. That is the trend the Bears are supposedly going to defy.

Bold to be sure. Also a bit hard to believe. The reality is the pressure will be overwhelming at some point this year to get Trubisky into the action. It’s going to happen. Why? Because it always happens. Fans will groan at the first poor game Glennon has this year and the chants will start from both fans and the media. They can’t help themselves. When something isn’t working, making a change seems logical.

Not in this case.

The first Mitch Trubisky start should be in 2018

One of the big problems with the Bears over the years is they’ve never been willing to take the long view approach. Always they were a team that operated like the engineer of an old hydroelectric dam. Scramble to fix problems as they appear, providing patches instead of genuine fixes to the issues. It’s clear the dam isn’t operating at peak efficiency, but rather than just tearing it down and building new one, they let it limp on in hopes it somehow miraculously becomes more efficient at some point.

They aren’t willing to bite the bullet of short-term struggle in the name of long-term gain. That is what Trubisky represents. A franchise quarterback could make the Bears perennial playoff contenders, but only if he’s developed correctly. That might mean sacrificing one year to let him learn in safety on the sideline. Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Sun-Times explains why that can be so tough.

“If a franchise is bold enough to take an unheralded quarterback with the second overall pick in the draft, it needs to be bold enough not to give in to impulse and every outside demand to play him during his rookie year. That won’t be easy. Pace wants to be right, and surely he has a strong desire to prove his doubters wrong. There might be a temptation to play Trubisky and say, “Told you so!’’

But the best way to accomplish optimal results is to let him spend the year learning behind the scenes and avoiding the mental and physical scars that could last a lifetime.”

Accepting reality

Then there’s the practical argument. The Bears went 3-13 last year. Injuries did play a part in that. However, even better health doesn’t signal this young team is ready to enter the playoff picture. It’s doubtful starting a rookie quarterback will change that too. Since 2000, only four of the 21 QBs selected in the top five managed to produce a winning season in their first year. Those being Matt Ryan, Mark Sanchez, Robert Griffin III, and Andrew Luck.

Three of them had significantly more experience than Trubisky coming out of college. Only Sanchez didn’t and the long-term results from him speak volumes.

  • Matt Ryan:  31 starts
  • Mark Sanchez:  16 starts
  • Robert Griffin III:  41 starts
  • Andrew Luck:  38 starts

As it turns out there are a number of examples scattered throughout history of quarterbacks not starting right away and still having great success. Among the list of names who didn’t start a single game their rookie year? Ken O’Brien, Daunte Culpepper, Carson Palmer, Philip Rivers and Aaron Rodgers. All became future Pro Bowlers. Morrissey breaks down why there’s no reason to rush Trubisky either.

“The Bears probably aren’t going to win many games in 2017, and this can’t be overstated: It’ll be OK. It really will be. The moment NFL commissioner Roger Goodell read Trubisky’s name as the Bears’ pick, it meant that the team was committed to a patient approach. It’s tough when everyone, coaches and players especially, is impatient. But the patient route is the way to go.

For better or worse, Pace’s career forever will be tied to Trubisky. For the good of the organization, it’s up to him to make sure the young quarterback is put in the best position to succeed.”

If that means giving this year to Glennon and then using next offseason to further build up the roster in anticipation of Trubisky? So be it.

Celtics Ready To Offer #3 Pick For Bulls Star Jimmy Butler

By
Matt Peck
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celtics offer 3 pick bulls star jimmy butler

The Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics agreed to swap first round picks (with more future picks coming from Philly) in this week’s NBA draft. Naturally, everyone in the NBA’s Twittersphere – especially in Chicago – exploded with panic and hypothetical scenarios regarding the future of Bulls star Jimmy Butler.

“Does this mean Celtics president Danny Ainge is finally ready to hand over a portion of his stockpiled draft picks to trade for Butler?”

“What players (if any) will Boston offer to Chicago this time? Are Avery Bradley and Jaylen Brown still unattainable? Do we even want Jae Crowder?”

“Will Boston’s #3 overall pick and the 2018 pick they’re owed from Brooklyn both be included? Would Bulls management make a deal that doesn’t include both?”

To those Bulls fans out there rifling through these questions in a never-ending furious pace – ‘sup, Fred – allow me to give you some free advice: chill.

Image result for everybody chill gif

Nothing’s Changed

Okay, well, one thing changed. The 76ers are picking first this week, and will likely use that pick to draft Washington guard Markelle Fultz. But from the Bulls’ perspective? The status quo remains the same.

Gar Forman and John Paxson reassured Butler and Bulls fans alike at their season-ending press conference: they value Jimmy. And they won’t trade him away just to do it. If you read between the lines, you could tell that Paxson is terrified of a full-scale rebuild. Unless the Bulls get a king’s ransom in return, they’re keeping Butler.

Some NBA brains believe that Ainge will use his new collection of future picks (Brooklyn’s in 2018, Lakers first round pick in 2018/Kings pick in 2019) to finally pry Butler away from the Bulls. Count Stephen A. Smith among those believing in this theory:

The local media, however, believes that the most recent wave of Butler-Celtics talk around the web is buzz and nothing else.

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reported this morning that according to his three league sources, no new substantial talks between Chicago and Boston have taken place.

“As of Sunday, the talk is based more on speculation than reality, a stance that at least three league executives the Tribune spoke to over the weekend don’t expect to change by Thursday. There is plenty of belief within the league and the Bulls organization that the Celtics are poised to use the No. 3 pick Thursday and then pursue Jazz All-Star Gordon Hayward in free agency come July.” – K.C. Johnson

Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times agrees.

“Sources indicated that the asking price for Butler remains almost insurmountable, and that also won’t change as Thursday approaches. So while many on the outside have enjoyed trying to connect the Butler-to-Boston dots, they have failed to take into account Michael Reinsdorf’s competitiveness. Butler has reached All-NBA status at age 27, and the feeling is that Michael wants Forman and VP of basketball operations John Paxson to prove they can build around that type of talent.” – Joe Cowley

My sources are telling me the same. The Bulls aren’t actively shopping Butler for Philadelphia’s pick or Boston’s picks. They’re not shopping him at all. GarPax will continue to perform their due diligence by answering the phone, but unless offers from Boston are significantly better than the ones they heard last year, Butler will stay put. Just because the Celtics might still want Butler (if you believe Stephen A.) it doesn’t mean the Bulls are ready to part with him.

Keep it at Sports Mockery for the latest developments on the Jimmy Butler situation as we near the NBA draft on Thursday. If you want to talk further about trade scenarios, find me on Twitter @Bulls_Peck.

Bulls Connected To Impending Free Agent Andre Iguodala

By
Matt Peck
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bulls connected impending free agent andre iguodala

Well this is certainly surprising. Do Gar Forman and John Paxson have a secret stash of cap space they’re not telling us about?

According to a recent report from The Vertical‘s Shams Charania, the Chicago Bulls are among the teams expected to pursue impending free agent Andre Iguodala.

“Many teams are expected to pursue discussions with Iguodala, including the Warriors, Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Clippers, Chicago Bulls, Minnesota Timberwolves and Atlanta Hawks, league sources said. Among teams around the league, there’s a belief that the value this summer for a two-way wing such as Iguodala could reach $20 million annually.” – Shams Charania

In What World?

Let’s stop right there. If Iguodala is looking for a deal that pays him somewhere in the neighborhood of $20 million annually, the Bulls can’t afford him. Okay, technically, if lots of unexpected things happen they could.

If Dwyane Wade shocks everyone by opting out of the second year of his deal, the Bulls could afford Iguodala. If the Bulls shock everybody by buying out the second year of Rajon Rondo’s deal, they might be able to afford him. If they surprise everybody by not re-signing Nikola Mirotic and/or Cristiano Felicio, they’d get closer to being able to afford him.

Then there’s this:

“Iguodala plans to seriously consider other teams in July, league sources told The Vertical. Prospective teams would need to show in meetings a vision to move toward contention to pry Iguodala from Golden State, league sources said.” – Shams Charania

Can GarPax convince Iguodala that the Bulls are moving toward contention? Convince him thoroughly enough to pry him away from what looks to be a dynasty in the making in Golden State? Short answer: no.

The Warriors have their work cut out for them this offseason. Before worrying about Igoudala or Shaun Livingston, they need to lock down their two MVPs Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant. If Andre really is looking for a big payday instead of more rings, he might actually leave. Personally, I see him taking a pay cut to stay with the team that undoubtedly enters next season as favorites to repeat.

Even if Iguodala does decide it’s time to move on from Golden State, the Bulls can’t be anywhere near the top of his list. Which is fine, because they likely won’t be able to afford his services anyway.

Then again…GarPax signed Wade and Rondo after vowing to get “younger and more athletic” this time last year. They also (Gar, especially) continue to bring up their expected cap flexibility in 2018 because of their lack of long term contracts. Based on their nature of saying one thing and doing the opposite, signing Iguodala (33) for $20 million annually sounds like the next logical move.

Blackhawks Reportedly Have Deal In Place With Vegas For Marcus Kruger

By
Matt Barbato
-
Photo: Twitter

It seems as if Marcus Kruger’s days with the Chicago Blackhawks are numbered.

TSN’s Frank Seravalli reports the Blackhawks have a deal in place with the newly-formed Las Vegas Golden Knights that will send Kruger to the NHL’s newest team. Kruger was one of eight forwards left unprotected by the team leading up to the expansion draft.

The Golden Knights are required to take one player from every other team’s roster. The Hawks would probably prefer Vegas takes Kruger off their hands. However, Kruger’s $3.08 million annual salary makes that notion a bit more difficult.

The Golden Knights would essentially be doing Chicago a favor by taking Kruger off the roster. The Blackhawks are deprived of salary cap space, while the Knights could be inclined to find a cheaper and perhaps more useful option to pluck off Chicago’s roster. That’s why Chicago will essentially sweeten the pot by making a deal with Vegas.

Seravalli reports getting Kruger off the books will cost Chicago defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk. The 25-year-old defender completed his second full season in the NHL, recording five goals and 16 points. He’s been a favorite of Joel Quenneville and has served primarily on Chicago’s third pairing. However, his upside has given him a bit of a longer leash despite some early struggles.

Once again, the Blackhawks will be forced to pay the cost of doing business. It’s not a matter of if Kruger is dealt, but when.

Father of Mitch Trubisky Trained Him To Be Like These Two Hall of Famers

By
Erik Lambert
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mitch trubisky

The Mitch Trubisky development at quarterback didn’t begin in high school or even Peewee. In truth his molding to that position started when he was still learning to coordinate his limbs. Much of that is due in large part to his father. Trubisky credits the man with instilling a lot of the attributes in him that make up the core of his game at the position.

An in-depth story by Chicago Tribune columnist Rich Campbell revealed that there were two notable names involved in that teaching process. Maybe not directly of course but their influence was always present. They were the benchmark Trubisky’s father saw and geared his lesson around what he learned from watching those men play.

The fact that both are Pro Football Hall of Famers certainly doesn’t hurt.

Mitch Trubisky development built on a “perfect” legacy

“Dave Trubisky gave Mitch his first football, a small aqua-colored Dolphins ball, before Mitch could catch it consistently. Dave, now 51, was an honorable mention all-state quarterback at nearby Perry High in the early 1980s. He had an affinity for the Dolphins because of quarterbacks Bob Griese and Dan Marino.

He and Mitch would play catch in the backyard. To this day, Mitch considers himself a visual learner. As his dad preached basics, such as gripping the laces to control the ball, he absorbed what he saw.

Dave prioritized completions over mechanics, hence Mitch’s ability to make the “funny-body throws” with which Bears general manager Ryan Pace became enamored.”

At first it might seem over the top but when one starts to watch Mitch play, there are certain elements he seems to have incorporated from both. With Griese it’s the methodical style, the ability to string completions together and execute a drive. Managing the clock and knowing how to leave as little time as possible for the opponent. With Marino? It’s the tight delivery with the downfield accuracy. The willingness to pull the trigger with zero hesitation.

Maintain the balance

Of course that doesn’t mean Mitch’s career is going to end up the same way. He’s not the same as those men. It’s merely the fact that he took what was great from their games and molded it to his own that’s so encouraging. In many ways Griese and Marino would make the perfect QB together. One the calculating, unselfish winner and the other a gunslinger wizard who attacks defenses without fear.

If Trubisky can somehow strike that balance moving forward, he has a bright future with the Chicago Bears. Something fans are desperately hoping to see. Credit to his old man for having the common sense to approach his teaching in that way.

PHOTO: Jason Heyward Shows Off Nasty Cut After Sliding In Foul Territory

By
Gus
-

Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward played only four innings of the team’s 7-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates today in part because he hurt his hand after making a sliding attempt to catch a foul ball off the bat of David Freese in the second inning. He failed to make the catch and was visibly bothered by something on his throwing hand.

Trainers came out to wrap his hand and he stayed in the game before he was pulled in the fourth inning. Less than an hour ago, he shared the nasty cut that led to him being removed from the game on his Instagram account.

Click the arrow on the right of the picture to see the damage.

😡😡😵😵

A post shared by Jason Heyward (@jheylove22) on

So much for the dirt in foul territory being soft huh? I don’t know much about cuts of that magnitude but I can’t foresee it keeping Heyward out of the lineup too long.

Good luck on not screaming when soap gets into that thing in the shower either JHey.

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