Guard Alex Caruso. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bulls have had a big year. In the lead-up to last season’s trade deadline, the team acquired Nikola Vucevic from the Orlando Magic. A few months later, in free agency, the front office went out and added DeMar DeRozan of the San Antonio Spurs and former New Orleans Pelicans guard, Lonzo Ball.

This week, Ball spoke out about one of the less-discussed changes Chicago made this past offseason: signing Alex Caruso.

The Bulls inked Caruso to a four-year, $37 million deal – and Ball couldn’t be happier about it.

‘‘He brings a winning mentality to the team, first and foremost, as a champion, and he also brings that toughness, that grit, and he’s going to do all the little things,” Ball said, per Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “AC is the perfect teammate. Anybody would love to play with him. He’s going to put the team first, and I know he’s definitely going to be appreciated in Chicago.’’

This isn’t the first time Caruso has been described as the perfect teammate. In fact, he has largely built his reputation in the league off a combination of that, his defensive prowess and his overall tenacity on the court.

Heck, even prior to his departure from the Los Angeles Lakers, he left one last parting gift for teammate Marc Gasol that likely ensured the Spanish legend didn’t retire this year.

The jury is still out on how Caruso will fare with the Bulls – but it’s nice to see that, at the very least, his teammates like Ball are thrilled to play alongside him.

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