At the time of this writing, it’s still a little unclear what the basketball gods have in mind for the 2023-24 Chicago Bulls. Will the team be able to rally and make a push for the playoffs, or are the Bulls destined to come up short yet again this spring? In the mean time, opportunistic front offices and fans of NBA trade rumors are keeping a close eye on Chicago.
The most obvious point of conflict is with Zach LaVine. The former All-Star is currently sidelined with right foot soreness, but there appears to be mutual discontent between LaVine and the front office. A trade here might be most impactful for the Bulls, but finding a trade partner could be difficult given LaVine’s hefty contract. There are other players on Chicago’s roster who may prove much more attractive on the trade market. This may prove to be especially true of Alex Caruso.
Caruso is one of the NBA’s best defensive guards and a versatile offensive player on a much more team-friendly deal. In a recent mailbag column, NBC Sports Chicago insider K.C. Johnson responded to a question about Caruso, and whether the Bulls will look to move him at the height of his value.
“All I can say is I’ve reported they’ve been hesitant to do so to this point,” Johnson wrote. “Now, that obviously can change between now and the Feb. 8 deadline. And there likely will be solid offers for Caruso, who is the perfect over-the-top piece for championship contending teams.”
Caruso is averaging a career-best 9.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game in 23.7 minutes of action per night. As Jonson noted, he’s one of the few bright spots the Bulls have had to celebrate in recent seasons. If the team does chose to make a move Caruso, it won’t be an easy decision or one the front office takes lightly.
“Caruso is arguably this regime’s greatest success story and he is the perfect embodiment of the culture the franchise wants to project,” Johnson said. “Trading him would be painful for this management team; I can assure you that.”
