I'm Convinced Anthony Davis Wants To Come Home And Save The Chicago Bulls
CHICAGO -- Soon after the Lakers wrapped up Monday's practice, Davis had to fulfill a personal obligation that meant a lot to him.
He surprised members of the boys and girls basketball teams at his alma mater, Perspectives Charter School, at local favorite Lulu's Hot Dogs.
"If you get a chance to come home and play for the Bulls, would you do it?" a young athlete asked Davis.
"Honestly, it's nothing like playing at home," Davis responded, after the room filled with laughter. "I don't know. ... I mean, I am a free agent next year, but we'll see. It's a possibility."
- We're gonna take this blog in 3 parts and there's part 1. By far the softest of the 3 parts on Anthony Davis coming home to Chicago - a preposterous thought as evidenced by his TERRIBLE answer, but let me also remind you that AD made it to the Lakers in the first place. Westbrook to the Rockets. KD and Kyrie to the Nets. Golden State is a flaming pile of shit. Kawhi and Paul George. Kemba Walker, D'Angelo Russell, Boogie Cousins and Chris Paul all turned over in the middle of the proverbial night this offseason. And all pleasant reminders that the modern NBA is up for grabs.
That's important to remember because the Bulls absolutely fucking suck at landing free agents right now for a myriad of reasons
Sucks, yes. But it's not a permanent impedance like living in Oklahoma City or being owned by James Dolan. I mean if you want to be a salty fuck - sure, GarPax represent the pure personification of sports executive evil. But for purposes of forecasting the future, let's just agree that the NBA holds the most opportunity for rapid change.
Mid-Blog Bloggers Note: I hate the Bulls so much. I started this blog way more positive than I am now.
Anyways, this is the biggest hurdle to clear if you want to get crazy with me and talk yourself into Anthony Davis To The Bulls speculation.
If not, you're more than welcome to go down to the comment section and tell me to fuck myself at this point.
SECOND ORDER OF BUSINESS:
For the first time this season, Davis will return to the United Center as a member of the Lakers on Tuesday night against the hometown Bulls.
The Midwest toughness of current NBA players gives him the utmost confidence in the talent of his hometown -- and why he considers it the Mecca of hoops.
"I mean, it is. We've got the best basketball players ever," Davis said after practice. "You look at the history with all the guys we've got that made the league and even the guys that didn't make the league. They say New York, but it's not even close."
Anthony Davis feels some obligation to Chicago in some way or else he wouldn't drop a quote like that. It's one thing to be proud but if he actually believes that - if he actually carries that kind of Chicago Love with him everyday, then I'd at least argue he'd listen to a Come Home And Save Us plea this offseason.
And listen - I know we got 76 more regular season games plus the playoffs but it never hurts to start strategizing your sales pitch. If we know LeBron the way we think we do, AD will be clamoring to be his own man come April like every other superstar that plays alongside The Fraud.
Mid-Blog Bloggers Note: I'm really working this angle and it's exhausting. I give myself a 10% confidence interval on this content.
LAST ORDER OF BUSINESS
Davis credits that Chicago toughness for his stellar play. Growing up, he idolized Rose, who went on to become the league's youngest MVP in history, while working hard to make a name for himself.
"He just gave me hope," Davis said of Rose.
"Watching him with the Bulls and what he was able to accomplish with winning MVP and going to the playoffs and all that stuff was just so much that we thought wasn't going to happen for us growing up in the neighborhood we grew up in and being in the situations we grew up in," he added. "He kind of gave everyone hope in the city of Chicago for basketball players, and now that's why he gets so much of the love he gets now, but D-Rose was definitely that guy for me."
"He accomplished what we thought wasn't going to happen for us growing up" hit me in the feels so hard. AD is spot on. For anyone outside of Chicago or unfamiliar with the D Rose story, he really is from the absolute worst of the worst of the worst that Chicago has to offer. And he is, undoubtedly and unequivocally, bigger than life on the south side of Chicago. Like no joke, he's one step removed from being a religious savior and it's unlikely that will ever change.
So while the Bulls can't sell AD on the premise of winning multiple championships, they can certainly pitch him to death on being that transcendental figure in Chicago.
I mean if D-Rose had that big of an impact on AD, wouldn't AD also agree that the same hope and energy is now completely missing in Chicago? And what if AD grew up now when the Bulls completely and totally sucked? Who would be his hope and inspiration on the 2019 Bulls?
The answer is Nobody because we don't have Hope or Inspiration. And if Anthony Davis cared about the kids AT ALL, he'd do a 180 this offseason and come home to pay it forward.
If he doesn't, then all I ask is he take Chicago's name from his mouth. Nothing worse than a Chicago Guy repping Chicago until he can go somewhere else, and does.
Fuck those guys.