How will the Chicago Bulls approach the trade deadline?
The NBA trade deadline is right around the corner and the Chicago Bulls are sitting on a pile of question marks going into it.
While they on the verge of falling out of the play-in, they are just also four games back of the six seed. The roster that the Bulls have constructed has obviously not gotten the job done so far this year.
Still, the roster has three all-stars and solid depth this season. The question is does the front office believe the core can pull it together over the second half of the season and become some sort of contender with maybe some minor tweaks, or should they start flipping assets in preparation for an offseason retooling?
The Alex Caruso rumors put the Chicago Bulls in an odd position.
If the Chicago Bulls are truly shopping Alex Caruso, then they might be just looking for a quick fix at a position of need. Since the trade value of Coby White is still low, flipping Caruso or possibly Ayo Dosunmu to address the shooting needs and the lack of size on the team could be unfortunately more realistic.
Still, the rumors are that the Bulls are asking for two first round picks for Caruso. While that would be such a great get for the Bulls, there is not much of a shot that a team will trade two firsts for a player who does not even start. As good as Caruso is, two firsts are a lot to give up for his services.
The other takeaway from these rumors is that the Bulls have made it known they will not trade Zach Lavine or DeMar DeRozan during the season, which means they are looking to still compete. One would think that Caruso is a major cog in a competitive Bulls team, especially with Lonzo Ball being nowhere close to returning. If you do believe that you have a team that can make some sort of run, Alex Caruso is a must have on the roster. With the odds of getting two first for him being so low, expect Caruso to remain a Chicago Bull, at least until the offseason.
It just would not make a lot of sense to trade Caruso for even one first round pick from a contender considering it will most likely not be very valuable. Caruso is one of the few players on this roster who has extensive playoff experience and is one of the leaders amongst the team. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote that Caruso is “basically untouchable” because of how valuable he is to the team. He went on to say that he is the culture of the team as well.
As far as the rest of the roster, there is a good possibility that the front office at least tests the market for players like White, Andre Drummond, and maybe even Javonte Green who has fallen out of the rotation due to injury. The Bulls do not have a lot of assets, but some teams looking to shed salary and potential bring in a young player who still has potential (White) could bite at an offer.
Next. Chicago Bulls: Two first-round picks for Alex Caruso would be a dream. dark
Whatever happens, there is basically zero chance that they blow it up completely during the offseason. Even if the season continues to go awry, the Bulls have control of Lavine and DeRozan and can make these decisions in the offseason and still capitalize on their value. Any moves made at the deadline will most likely involve role players or draft picks down the line.