Guard Zach LaVine has been the subject of most trade rumours surrounding the Bulls for the majority of the offseason and into training camp, and for good reason.
LaVine is in the second year of a $215 million, five-year contract, and as is common in the NBA, there is regret about the agreement on all fronts.
However, dealing LaVine is a huge task that is unlikely to be completed until the trade deadline, if at all this season, and will probably necessitate the involvement of several teams and draught picks. If the Bulls decide to part ways with the current roster, there is a simpler trade option available: veteran guard Alex Caruso.
In contrast to previous year, when Bulls rumours and reports indicated the team would not engage in trade talks for Alex Caruso unless two first-round picks were on the table, the asking price this time around is probably a first-round pick and a player of some ability. An Eastern Conference executive compared Caruso to Cam Reddish, Ryan Arcidiacono, Svi Mykhailiuk, and Josh Hart—who was traded from Portland to New York for a first-round pick.
“A good word to describe him is coveted. They could trade Alex Caruso if you want to make a trade tomorrow”, the executive informed Heavy Sports. “There would be an offer from half the teams in the league.” Many teams are keeping an eye on that situation, and Caruso is the player on that roster that they are most interested in seeing. It will only come down to when the Bulls are prepared to let him go and make adjustments.”
Bulls rumours have been slow lately.
The Bulls trade rumour mill hasn’t been active lately, though. Two years ago, team president Arturas Karnisovas assembled the roster with a series of acquisitions that included Alex Caruso, Nikola Vucevic at centre, and DeMar DeRozan at forward. In 2022, the team also signed point guard Lonzo Ball.
However, following that flurry of actions, Karnisovas is determined to see how far this roster can be built. Considering the team’s 3-5 start, he may be close to obtaining the solution. Additionally, that might rekindle trade rumours involving Alex Caruso and the Bulls.
The executive stated, “They received a lot of calls on him last year at the deadline and in the summer.” And their response has always been, “No, thanks, or they ask excessive questions that indicate they are not sincere. However, that will most likely change. Their young guys ought to spend more time on the floor. They would have to if the record didn’t change and they could acquire a first-round pick for him.”
Kings, Heat, and Lakers are listed as potential suitors.
Regarding reports about potential suitors for Bulls star Alex Caruso, the executive noted that almost any contending team could benefit from his services. He specifically mentioned the Lakers, which makes sense considering that Caruso signed a four-year, $37 million contract with the Bulls to leave Los Angeles in 2021, though he explicitly stated that he would prefer to stay with the Lakers provided they would match the offer. Caruso left after they failed to do so, and the Lakers instantly regretted it.
Other options that were mentioned included the Heat and the Kings, though a deal might not be easy to work out. Also, if the
Known for his tough defence, Caruso has averaged 6.4 points, 2.5 assists, and 3.9 rebounds in 22.6 minutes this season. He is making 35.0% of his 3-pointers and 54.3% of his field goals.
Veteran sports writer Sean Deveney works for Heavy.com, covering the NBA and NFL. With over 20 years of NBA coverage experience, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for Sporting News, he has been writing for Heavy since 2019. A writer of seven nonfiction books, Deveney is the author of “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” Additional details regarding Sean Deveney