Zach LaVine’s season-ending surgery throws a wrench into the Chicago Bulls’ potential trade deadline plans. The star shooting guard had been thrown around in rumors for months, and while the interest around the league was seemingly low, Chicago was also reportedly focused on finding a deal for LaVine.
Even through all of that, however, the Bulls remained committed to competing for a playoff spot. In turn, they were being stingy with the rest of their potential trade options. Most notably, the Bulls have held firm on the fact that 3-and-D guard Alex Caruso is relatively untouchable in trade talks despite his obvious value on the market.
According to KC Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, multiple teams around the league have reached out to the Bulls about a potential Caruso trade, including the Golden State Warriors. However, Chicago has turned them all away.
“League sources indicated that even before LaVine’s surgery news had broken, multiple teams, including the Golden State Warriors, had inquired on Caruso,” Johnson wrote. “To this point, management largely had rebuffed interest in Caruso because an internal focus centered on chasing a playoff spot.”
Caruso’s value as an excellent defender is clear, and this year, he’s improved his three-point percentage to match his elite play on the other end. Every contending team around the league would love to get their hands on a player like him.
So far this season, Caruso is averaging 10.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists while shooting 48.6% from the floor and 40.5% from behind the three-point line.
