👋 Good morning!
To take a page out of Bulls GM Marc Eversley’s book, there are three reasonable outcomes for the Blackhawks in the first round of tonight’s NHL Draft:
Michael Misa falls to No. 3. Rejoice!
Misa’s off the board, and the Blackhawks gladly settle for Anton Frondell, Porter Martone, James Hagens, or Caleb Desnoyers. Cool!
Trade the No. 3 pick for some sort of legitimate young NHLer that’s instantly a top-six staple with the Blackhawks for at least a few years. Neat!
Things could certainly be worse for the Blackhawks. They could be the Bulls.
Yes, these last few years of Blackhawks hockey have been a rough watch on a nightly basis. But at least they committed to the brutal teardown rather than dipping their toes in it before opting for never-ending mediocrity.
The light at the end of the tunnel for the Hawks might still be a few years away, but we’re at least nearing the beginning of the climb…I think…and hope.
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“That’s Willson.”
Benches cleared and cooler heads nearly failed to prevail after the final out of the Cubs’ series-splitting win over the Cardinals yesterday.
Up 3-0 in the ninth with zero outs and a runner on first, a high-and-tight two-strike fastball escaped Daniel Palencia and clipped ex-Cub Willson Contreras on the hand.
Contreras winced before menacingly nodding and yapping toward Palencia on the mound, appearing to believe that the Cubs’ closer intentionally threw at him.
Palencia then struck out the next three batters to clinch the win before turning toward Contreras, still at first base, and directing some emphatic comments in his direction.
Palencia on the incident: “It was high intensity. I was very hyped. That’s part of the game. Nothing was intentional. I don’t want to hit that guy. I’ve been watching that guy since I was a kid. … The moment was intense, close game. I think it was just that.”
When asked for his vantage point of the exchange, Craig Counsell said: “I didn’t see it. I was giving high-fives.”Contreras: “My reaction was bad, I take that back. I apologize to the Chicago Cubs for reacting the way I reacted. But I’m not trying to get another broken bone. … I’m not trying to fight anybody.
The former Cub added: “The only thing I didn’t appreciate was the way he turned around. But once again, it’s just the heat of the game. He came out with good stuff, put another zero on the board, and they won today.”
Afterward, Ian Happ said, “That’s Willson.”
I can’t think of a better way to sum that entire situation up.
Did Palencia need to turn to Contreras after the win? No. But Contreras didn’t need to act like an angsty teen sent to his room on his way to first base, either.
Nothing that happened should’ve been a shock. After all, we saw a lot of the same in Chicago for seven years. And for the most part, we embraced it. Why? Because “That’s Willson.”
No punches thrown, no harm done. When do these teams meet up again? Next Friday, July 4, at Wrigley Field? Nothing like some Independence Day fireworks.
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DRAFT CLASS COMPLETE: One night after adding Noa Essengue with the No. 12 pick in the draft, the Bulls traded back from No. 45 to No. 55 with the Lakers on Thursday, eventually selecting center Lachlan Olbrich in the second round via Los Angeles. The Bulls also acquired old friend Cash Considerations in the pick swap.
The Australian-born Olbrich, 21, spent the last two seasons with the Illawarra Hawks of the National Basketball League, where he averaged 8.7 points and 3.8 rebounds in 29 games and won the NBL championship in 2024-25.
Before that, Olbrich actually spent a season in the NCAA at UC Riverside, averaging 11.4 points and 6.1 rebounds as a freshman.
Olbrich, listed at 6-foot-9, is expected to sign a two-way deal with the Bulls. Enjoy Hoffman Estates, Lachlan!
SHO-TIME SUCCESS: Shota Imanaga’s return to the Cubs on Thursday was a good one, tossing five scoreless innings of one-hit baseball. Imanaga struck out three batters and walked just one on 77 pitches.
The Cubs’ ace hadn’t pitched with the big league club since injuring his hamstring against the Brewers in May.
Through his interpreter, Imanaga said after the game: “Today didn't really feel like my first start coming back from rehab, it was just, ‘Okay, let's even up the series.’”
What grade would you give the Bulls' 2025 draft?
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