NEWSLETTER
Alex Caruso is the bell of the ball. Easily the Chicago Bulls’ best asset at the 2024 trade deadline, there has been no lack of interest in the defensive menace.
A handful of playoff teams have already reached out about acquiring the veteran, and the Bulls’ have reportedly answered those calls with an extremely steep asking price. Zach Lowe of ESPN reported last week that Chicago’s front office could net as much as two first-round picks for Caruso’s services due to the extreme interest. His colleague Adrian Wojnarowski echoed the sentiment on Monday, sharing that the Bulls believe they can even drum up the kind of return Toronto got for versatile wing OG Anunoby:
“If they’re going to trade Alex Caruso, they want a lot for him,” Wojnarowski said on The Woj Pod. Like, an OG Anunoby-type deal is what has been subscribed to me. And I think he fits anywhere and there are no shortage of teams who would love to get Alex Caruso.”
The Raptors netted RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and a 2024 second-round pick from the New York Knicks for Anunoby. While this didn’t include any first-round draft capital, Barrett and Quickley are two starting-caliber players who are under 24 years old. For a Raptors franchise looking to reset their timeline around Scottie Barnes, it felt like a high-level return.
At first glance, the Bulls asking for a package of this caliber seems idealistic. Anunoby is a far more proven two-way asset. He’s averaged 16.4 points per game over the past four seasons on 47.2 percent shooting from the field and 38.1 percent shooting from long range. To be sure, Caruso has been one of the league’s better 3-point shooters this season (40.5 percent), but he doesn’t possess the steady track record that Anunoby has (particularly when we consider the volume). The offensive upside with Anunoby is simply higher, and we have to factor this into the kind of return the Raptors received.
Still, I’m not sure the gap between these two is as vast as some may think. Caruso has shown an increasing ability to impact winning on both ends. He’s a solid 3-point shooter, a sneaky great offensive rebounder, and an elite defender. While Anunoby deserves his flowers for his defensive versatility, Caruso might have him beat on that side of the ball. Anunoby finished with an All-Defensive Second Team honor last season, while Caruso walked away with the First Team nod. Caruso’s defensive estimated plus-minus has also sat a few notches higher than Anunoby the past couple of seasons, per Dunks & Threes.
With that in mind, I don’t think asking for an Anunoby-type deal is as ridiculous as it sounds. Does that mean I think the Bulls will get it? No, but it is somewhat similar to demanding two lightly protected first-round picks. I can also understand why the Bulls would prefer young, yet established, NBA entities as opposed to draft wild cards.
We all know they haven’t had the best of luck in the draft in recent years, so getting a couple of players who can make an immediate impact helps them remain somewhat competitive while also taking a step back. Similar to what we’ve seen the Raptors do this year (the only difference is they at least have a potential star in Barnes on their hands).
Again, I don’t think they’ll get the Anunoby return, but perhaps there is a middle ground that can be found over the next few days. Would they accept one young asset with upside and a first-round pick? If so, there might be one trade partner that makes a lot of sense …
Warriors Called About Alex Caruso
NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson reported this weekend that multiple front offices have gotten in touch with the Bulls about Caruso, including one team desperate to stay relevant:
“League sources indicated that even before LaVine’s surgery news had broken, multiple teams, including the Golden State Warriors, had inquired on Caruso. To this point, management largely had rebuffed interest in Caruso because an internal focus centered on chasing a playoff spot.”
The Warriors are 21-25 on the season and currently 12th in the Western Conference. If they want to have any chance at making real noise in the playoffs, they’re likely going to have to make some big-time moves at this trade deadline. Adding Caruso would undoubtedly give their 22nd-ranked defense a boost. Between Caruso’s ability to blow up the point of attack and Green’s ability to disrupt frontcourts, the Warriors would have one of the best defensive tandems in the NBA.
Let’s be clear, the Bulls aren’t getting Jonathan Kuminga. While the lottery pick was seemingly on the market earlier this season, his recent play has surely taken him off the table. Golden State still has a couple of interesting youngsters, however, with Moses Moody, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Brandin Podziemski. They would have to put one on the table for Caruso, with Moody and Podziemski presumably drawing the most interest from the Bulls. Throw in a late-2020s first-rounder, and the Bulls may have found themselves a pretty solid deal.
The Nuggets represent another interesting trade partner for Caruso, especially if the Bulls can grab a talented young wing like Peyton Watson or Julian Strawther. We also can’t forget to think about the Lakers, who surely want to right their wrongs of letting their headband-wearing king walk for nothing. For what it’s worth, I mapped out some fake trades here.
Regardless, I don’t care who the Bulls discuss a Caruso deal with right now as long as it means they’re picking up the phone. He is the exact kind of player that an underachieving team has to consider trading. As much as that pains me to say when we consider how amazing Caruso is to watch, it’s time to consider the long-term outlook of this franchise.
