The reality of the Chicago Bulls’ situation had them considering altering a previously long-held stance.
Various reports said they had been turning away trade suitors for 2023 All-Defensive First-Teamer Alex Caruso. But the Bulls at least gave some thought to the idea of moving him at the deadline.
“The Bulls, league sources say, wound up giving real consideration to trading Caruso on Deadline Day after insisting for weeks that they wouldn’t,” The Stein Line’s Marc Stein wrote on February 20. “But Chicago’s talks with Golden State ultimately collapsed.”
Caruso has drawn interest from the Warriors and Head Coach Steve Kerr for a while.
NBC Sports Chicago Bulls insider K.C. Johnson reported on the Warriors’ interest before the deadline.
“League sources indicated that … multiple teams, including the Golden State Warriors, had inquired on Caruso,” Johnson wrote on February 3. “To this point, management largely had rebuffed interest in Caruso because an internal focus centered on chasing a playoff spot.”
Kerr helped cause an internet firestorm after appearing to tell Caruso he would “love to have” him on the team amid trade rumors last season.
Caruso, 29, is in the third year of a four-year, $36.9 million contract.
Teams can hope that the Bulls fall short of their postseason goals and entertain trading Caruso this offseason. But he could remain one of the toughest players to land in a trade.
“Unless a team comes in with an offer the Bulls can’t refuse, Caruso isn’t going anywhere,” the Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley wrote about the Bulls’ deadline plans on February 2. “The hope is the two sides can try working on an extension this summer.”
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