According to NBA insider Zach Lowe of ESPN, the Chicago Bulls could acquire two protected first-round picks for Alex Caruso.
Multiple playoff teams have expressed strong interest in trading for Caruso.
“The Bulls have six days to decide if they really want to hang onto Caruso and continue to be Team Play-In,” Lowe wrote. “Several playoff teams have expressed strong interest in him, sources said. It wouldn’t shock me if the Bulls ended up with two protected first-round picks if they ginned up a trade war for Caruso.”
Caruso is averaging 10.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks this season while shooting 48.7% from the field, 40.9% from beyond the arc and 75.8% from the free-throw line. He’s making $9.5 million.
The Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Miami Heat are interested in trading for Caruso, league sources told NBA Analysis Network. The Bulls (23-26), who are in ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings, have shut down all inquiries on Caruso.
One of the best defenders in the NBA, Caruso has career averages of 6.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.5 blocks with the Lakers and Bulls. The Texas native won the 2020 NBA championship with Los Angeles.
Caruso, 29, signed a four-year, $37 million contract with Chicago in August 2021, a deal members of the Lakers still have nightmares about.
Caruso, who played college basketball at Texas A&M, has a plus-minus of +29 this season and a defensive rating of 113.3, per Statmuse. According to NBA insider Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Bulls would need multiple first-round picks to even consider trading Caruso.
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