At 39-43, the Bulls finished 9th in the Eastern Conference last season. They were in the play-in tournament but failed to secure one of the final two spots in the postseason. This offseason, the Bulls have reportedly received calls about one of their top players. Other teams have an interest in acquiring Alex Caruso.
Beat writer Will Gottlieb reported that the Bulls turned down a top-1o pick in the 2024 NBA Draft to keep Alex Caruso. That shows just how highly Chicago values Caruso. The Bulls would likely need some win-now talent for Caruso if they were to trade him. Not a top-10 pick in a weaker 2024 draft class.
Teams have tried to trade for Alex Caruso but the Bulls are not budging
The Chicago Bulls reportedly rejected a top-10 pick for Alex Caruso because the ownership wanted them to compete for the playoffs, per @Will_Gottlieb
“According to a source with knowledge of the situation, the Bulls have received offers from multiple teams, consisting of… pic.twitter.com/rCawNmiLlA
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 17, 2024
After starting his career with the Lakers, Alex Caruso signed a four-year, $37 million deal with the Chicago Bulls. Caruso has been with the team for the last three seasons. The 30-year-old is pound-for-pound one of the best defenders in the league. In 2022-23, Caruso was All-Defensive first team and he was All-Defensive second team in 2023-24. Last season, Caruso averaged a career-high (10.1) points per game and 57 starts for the Bulls.
This offseason, the Bulls have received trade offers for Alex Caruso. Per beat writer Will Gottlieb, Chicago turned down a top-1o pick in the 2024 draft to keep Caruso. The Bulls value Caruso extremely high and not even a top-10 pick could make them want to trade him. Gottlieb noted that the Warriors were a team that made a strong offer for Caruso. Not strong enough for a deal to happen just yet. Additionally, owner Jerry Reinsdorf wants the front office to fight for the playoffs. To be a championship contender in the East, the Bulls know they need Caruso on their roster.
I love Alex Caruso, but him being on the #Bulls is a waste of time for both him and the organization.
If you pass on a top-10 pick to make a push for the PLAY-IN, that’s insanely dumb. Jerry Reinsdorf is actively ruining this franchise, but what else is new? https://t.co/2iqZHyiODB
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) June 17, 2024
While Alex Caruso is a valuable player on Chicago’s roster, they are still far away from being a true playoff contender. In Caruso’s three seasons with the Bulls, they’ve made the playoffs once. Additionally, the team has only made the playoffs twice in the last seven years. Chicago needs to make some serious upgrades to be able to compete with real contenders in the East. We’ll see if Chicago makes any moves this offseason.
