Le Journal

This is the “glimpse of the future.”That’s the term Arturas Karnisovas used the last time he spoke to the media when discussing the way the Bulls closed out the 2024-25 campaign with a 15-5 record, and how the executive vice president of basketball operations thought that would have legs going into this season.Like he has far too often in his exec chair, however, he was wrong.Even with impressive back-to-back showing by the offense this week against undermanned opponents, the Bulls are a 21-22 product, residing in play-in game territory yet again, and doing so with the Feb. 5 trade deadline bearing down on the Association.And as far as that “glimpse of the future,” it is playing out to be more of a mirage, as Karnisovas was counting on a jump in the standings and a roster that gave him options. The jump is more of déjà vu from seasons past, while the options have dried up a bit because of injuries and inconsistencies.“We have flexibility as we have many players going into free agency next year,” Karnisovas continued. “We will be able to evaluate long-term fits while staying competitive.”Again, not exactly playing out like Karnisovas thought. Yes, there are six free agents – possibly seven with Dalen Terry’s rookie deal expiring – so financial flexibility will be found, but the days of having a bag full of cash and taking it to the free-agent store are over.Most teams lock up their homegrown talent and then use sign-and-trades to move outgoing free agents. That route is always a possibility and viable, but it also requires Karnisovas to be creative, which hasn’t exactly been his strong suit in his tenure.The real gut-punch in all of this? The Bulls continue to be the model of how not to conduct the business of basketball, especially the last two years.At this point in the season in 2024, the Bulls were sitting at No. 9 in the East, while a team like Toronto was five games behind them and Detroit was residing in the basement. Fast forward to the now and the Raptors are currently the No. 4 seed while the Pistons are a conference-best 31-10.Last year at this point, the Bulls were in the No. 10 spot, while injured and tanking Philadelphia was behind them. The 76ers now sit at 23-19, and the one season dip allowed them to grab standout 20-year-old rookie VJ Edgecombe and team him with the face of the franchise in All-Star Tyrese Maxey.Memo to Karnisovas: Take a look in the rearview mirror and be prepared to again pullover quickly because there are several more teams poised to pass the stagnant Bulls moving forward. Atlanta – Unlike the Bulls, the Hawks have finally come to their senses in understanding draft capital, fleecing New Orleans on draft night in the Derik Queen trade, while also getting out from underneath the Trae Young contract to free up $71 million for the summer.What that means is Atlanta could hit lottery gold with a Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer or an AJ Dybantsa, have the rights to Cleveland’s first-round pick, have a budding star in Jalen Johnson, and money to add. Charlotte – The LaMelo Ball contract is still an albatross on the franchise, but if they can somehow move the talented and unserious point guard and focus on building around Brandon Miller and rookie Kon Knueppel, it won’t take long for the Hornets to lap the Bulls.One more dip into this talented ’26 draft class might be just what the doctor ordered for Charlotte to put an end to being a laughingstock. Indiana – Enjoy the down year for a Pacers team that was in the NBA Finals last season. Tyrese Haliburton’s Achilles tear might become a blessing, as the core is locked up through the 2027-28 campaign and they are expected to add another very talented piece currently sitting in the top three of the lottery.Haliburton, Boozer and Pascal Siakam, anyone?

Le Parlement européen a voté, ce mercredi 21 janvier 2026, sur la saisine de la Cour de justice de l’Union européenne (CJUE) concernant le traité de...

Good morning, Chicago. ✶🔎 Below: On the anniversary of President Donald Trump's second inauguration, Illinois Democrats reflected on the legal battles it has waged — while GOP officials promised more to come.🗞️ Plus: Mayor Brandon Johnson keeps the meter running, a long-neglected Frank Lloyd Wright house hits the market and more news you need to know.📝 Keeping score: The Bulls beat the Clippers, 138-110.⏱️: A 9-minute readTODAY’S WEATHER ⛅Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow and a high near 31.TODAY’S TOP STORY 🔎 Illinois Attorney General Kwame RaoulAnthony Vazquez/Sun-Times 1 year, 51 lawsuits later, Illinois Democrats lament ‘chaos’ of second Trump administrationBy Mitchell ArmentroutPersonal fight: Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul choked up Tuesday while recounting the state’s first year of legal battles against the second Trump administration, including the effort to limit birthright citizenship — which felt personal to the son of Haitian immigrants. But there’s a personal issue for just about anyone among the dozens of fights between his office and the White House, the Democrat said in marking a year since President Donald Trump’s inauguration.51 lawsuits: Raoul’s office has joined or filed 51 lawsuits challenging administration policies since then, and has submitted more than 100 amicus briefs, to push back against sweeping funding cuts, military deployments in Chicago, restrictions on gender-affirming care, environmental protection rollbacks, and other Trump priorities.Points of pride: Raoul pointed to Trump’s failed effort to federalize the National Guard to patrol the streets of Chicago as "an example of why to remain optimistic." Trump gave up that effort, for now, after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to lift a lower court’s block on the deployment. Perhaps the premier fight for Raoul’s office in 2026 is the legal challenge against an "occupation of Illinois and Chicago" by an influx of federal immigration agents.GOP celebrates: The same policies lambasted by Raoul and other Illinois Democratic leaders were celebrated by the White House as among "365 wins in 365 days." The Illinois Republican Party said, "President Trump returned to office to clean up Joe Biden’s mess ... and he’s just getting started!"READ MOREIMMIGRATION ✶ U.S. District Judge Joan Lefkow presides over the trial of Juan Espinoza Martinez, left.L.D. Chukman for the Sun-Times Opening statements expected Wednesday in Bovino murder-for-hire trialBy Jon SeidelFirst trial: Federal prosecutors in Chicago are preparing to deliver opening statements Wednesday in the first trial tied to Operation Midway Blitz, but are doing so after a judge barred more key evidence of an alleged murder plot aimed at U.S. Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino.Stage set: A jury of eight men and six women, which includes two alternates, has been chosen to hear the case against Juan Espinoza Martinez, the man accused of offering $10,000 for Bovino’s murder.Key context: Prosecutors pressed forward with the trial Tuesday after a damaging ruling last week from U.S. District Judge Joan Lefkow. She barred any attempt to tie Espinoza Martinez to the Latin Kings street gang after the feds acknowledged they wouldn’t try to prove his membership in it.More headlines:Sen. Duckworth travels to Portugal and Poland to strengthen Illinois National Guard tiesChicagoans send 150,000 whistles to cities besieged by federal immigration agentsREAD MOREWATCHDOGS ✶ Officer Jeffery Shafer | Chicago Police DepartmentChicago Police Department Chicago police officer accused of beating teen faces firing after criminal case is tossedBy Tom SchubaFacing dismissal: After having his criminal case dropped ahead of trial, a Chicago police officer now faces dismissal for allegedly beating a teenage boy after he crashed a stolen car during a chase in Woodlawn in January 2021.The charges: Police Supt. Larry Snelling filed formal disciplinary charges against Officer Jeffery Shafer last month, alleging Shafer…

Créées en 2017 par le ministère de la Culture pour célébrer le plaisir de lire, les Nuits de la lecture ont su conquérir, au fil des éditions, un...

Former television sports reporter Michele Tafoya has filed to run for the U.S. Senate in Minnesota as a Republican, according to federal filings submitted Tuesday afternoon.