NEWSLETTER
I’ll be taking jabs at Grayson Allen until Alex Caruso is picking pockets again, but we should probably move on and address other topics … starting tomorrow!
• We still have no word from the NBA on a potential suspension or fine for Allen’s flagrant 2 foul on Friday night. However, both Yahoo Sports’ Vincent Goodwill and NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson have noted that the news of Caruso’s broken wrist will be taken into consideration as the league office reviews the situation. The initial thought was that Allen’s ejection would be the only disciplinary action, per Johnson, but that also came before confirmation of Caruso’s injury that could require him to miss two months.
The league office is reviewing the flagrant foul from Milwaukee’s Grayson Allen that resulted in a broken wrist for Alex Caruso, sources tell @YahooSports. No decision as of yet
— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) January 22, 2022
To be clear, the league is still reviewing the incident. The early indications that Allen’s ejection would be his only discipline were before news of Caruso’s injury. And league does take into account any injury suffered by the offended player. Stay tuned. https://t.co/DYguqR2cP2
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 23, 2022
• I will not be able to understand an outcome where the league decides not to hand Allen some kind of added punishment, and plenty of people seem to be in the same boat. The fallout from this incident – especially after news of Caruso’s significant injury – has been massive, as many powerful and recognizable NBA voices have taken to social media to share their thoughts. Get ready for a tweet dump …
The smug smirk alone on Grayson Allen’s face immediately after the act should be considered evidence toward suspending him indefinitely after injuring Caruso…the NBA should do what college basketball never really did about his thuggish behavior…
— Michael Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) January 22, 2022
Grayson Allen forfeited the benefit of the doubt a long time ago. That second swipe was not a basketball play. It was a blatantly dirty play. And now Caruso is seriously hurt. Allen should absolutely be suspended. #Bulls #Bucks #NBA
— Mike Greenberg (@Espngreeny) January 22, 2022
Grayson Allen giggling after receiving a flagrant 2 and being ejected seems pretty on brand for him.
— Richard Jefferson (@Rjeff24) January 22, 2022
Former NBA point guard Isaiah Thomas on Grayson Allen's foul on Alex Caruso:
“Smh dirty ass play.” pic.twitter.com/5yJblXK4ZF
— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) January 22, 2022
Greg Anthony on Grayson Allen: “There's no place in our game for that. We worked so hard to get to a point where we took all of that out of the game. That play, you could have ended that young man's career.” Channing Frye: “That's the dirtiest play I've seen in years.” pic.twitter.com/dZwXY6OhM3
— hoops bot (@hoops_bot) January 23, 2022
• Caruso’s agent, Greg Lawrence, also put pressure on the NBA in a statement released to ESPN’s Jamal Collier. Lawrence said he expects the league to take into consideration the unnecessary severity of Allen’s foul but also the history Allen has of taking these kinds of cheap shots. While I don’t expect the NBA to punish Allen for previous offenses – many of which came while he was at Duke – I do agree that this is something that has to be taken into account. The Bucks’ forward needs to understand that what he did to Caruso is not a basketball move and a completely avoidable situation.
“I am hopeful the league levels a punishment that will send a clear message that there is no place in the NBA for what happened to Alex and the Bulls,” Lawrence said.
• Do I think when Allen jumped he actively thought, “hmm, how can I break this guy’s wrist right now?” No. But do I think there was some level of malicious intent and unreasonable physical contact? Absofreakinlutely. Some have tried to compare this to the situation between Jalen Suggs and Talen Horton-Tucker, which also occurred on Friday night. Suggs drove toward the basket and Horton-Tucker rose to contest, tying up the ball before Suggs took a nasty spill. You can watch that here. In my opinion, the difference between these two stations is pretty clear. THT not only had one hand around the basketball with the other within reach, but he kept those hands wrapped around the basketball throughout the play. Everything happened at the ball.
• Conversely, in the Caruso situation, after he initially contested the shot, Allen used one hand to pull Caruso’s right arm down while he used the other to swipe at Caruso’s left arm (only adding to Caruso’s forceful fall). THT received a Flagrant 1 for his incident, which is described by the NBA as ” unnecessary contact committed by a player against an opponent.” Allen received a flagrant 2, which is described by the NBA as “unnecessary and excessive contact committed by a player against an opponent.” THT unnecessarily fought for that ball through the play, but he didn’t make any other “excessive” contact. On the other hand, I think it’s pretty evident Allen did.
*right arm
— Elias Schuster (@Schuster_Elias) January 23, 2022
• Again, do I think Allen planned to force Caruso into surgery? No, but I also don’t think that’s the point. He did what he did, and what he did was reckless, necessary, and dangerous. People can talk about how “soft” the NBA has become all you want (and I’d assume those people would feel differently if they were the one with a broken wrist), the league has made it a point to get rid of this kind of physicality. Allen needs to know that what he did on a defenseless player in mid-air is unacceptable. As a professional basketball player, he should know how to properly contest a shot. If he doesn’t, the NBA needs to make sure he learns.
• Steph is right, in hindsight, it’s amazing that Caruso was doing all of this with a fractured wrist.
It is wild to me that Caruso was deflecting passes WITH his fractured wrist (!), guarding and blocking Giannis, and playing lockdown defense even after suffering his injury.
These plays all happened after Grayson Allen's flagrant-2 foul. This guy is tough as nails. pic.twitter.com/eINqdWDjxU
— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) January 22, 2022
• In other non-Caruso injury news, last night’s official injury report gave us all a glimmer of hope that Zach LaVine and Javonte Green could return for Wednesday’s home game against the Toronto Raptors. Both LaVine and Green were listed as “doubtful” for tonight’s game in Orlando. Considering both have stayed back in Chicago for treatment, it comes as no surprise that they were both, once again, downgraded to OUT this morning, but a brief appearance in the “doubtful” column could bode well for a return next week.
• Six days after the Bulls waived Devon Dotson in favor of Malcolm Hill, the Windy City Bulls have announced that Dotson will rejoin the organization. All things considered, I’m happy to see this. I still find Dotson to be a pretty intriguing prospect, and it’s good to know the Bulls can continue to monitor his progress closely. With that said, I still understand why he was given the boot in the first place. The team’s guard depth (though, now surprisingly limited thanks to injuries to Ball and Caruso) is plentiful, and the team needed the more versatile size that Hill could provide.
Welcome back, @d_dotson1! pic.twitter.com/WGb1x4e0G1
— Windy City Bulls (@windycitybulls) January 22, 2022
• We all knew the Packers were doomed when they pulled this crap:
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) January 23, 2022
• He was SOOOOOO open.
Maybe, idk, don’t leave Alex DeBrincat that open? #Blackhawks lead 2-1 heading to the 2nd period #CHIvsMIN pic.twitter.com/ZRFOo8Z5OD
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) January 23, 2022
• Too late. Hopes up.
Report: Sean Payton Might Not Return to the Saints (But Don’t Get Your Hopes Up)https://t.co/3akhkLx4K8
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) January 23, 2022
