Alex Caruso is a big name for avid spectators of the league. It might not be because he's an up-and-coming star like Anthony Edwards or a historically great player like LeBron James. His charm comes from the fact that he does the dirty work and showcases a great deal of intangibles for the Chicago Bulls. That was further proven when he won the 2023-24 NBA Hustle Award. So, are Billy Donovan and Marc Eversley willing to let him go after not getting a deal done during the NBA Trade deadline?
Caruso brings home the hardware
The NBA Hustle Award is presented to a player who continually makes game-altering decisions. Winners inject the energy back into the team whenever they need a swing in momentum. Marcus Smart has won this honor thrice in his career and he is also the last one to take it home. Other names who have notched this honor are Thaddeus Young, Montrezl Harrell, Amir Johnson, and Patrick Beverley. Alex Caruso now joins this very exclusive list and could also enter his name in the awards race again.
He kept the Bulls alive with high spirits throughout the season. Whether it was a steal in the clutch, an emphatic block that had fans rising up, or anything in between, Alex Caruso could do it all. The amount of heart he puts into an NBA game cannot be quantified. But, some of his statistics throughout the season displayed good traces of it.
Caruso played the most games of his career this season with the Bulls. He saw the court for an average of 28.7 minutes while also playing 71 games. He knocked down 46.8% of his shots from all three levels of scoring for 10.1 points. This was the first time he had hit double digits in scoring number averages. He also hit career-highs in rebounds (3.8 per game), steals (1.7 per game), and blocks (one per game).
What should the Bulls do?
The short answer? Do what they should have done in the NBA Trade Deadline and swap him for some assets. Caruso is in demand because a lot of team wants a player who has championship experience, can sacrifice for the squad, and brings energy off the bench. A lot of title contenders offered the Bulls a decent trade package before the deadline but they just would not accept it. Now, their attempt to go all-in with the roster has totally failed. The Bulls could not even make the playoffs.
Caruso is entering the last year of his four-year contract worth $37 million. The Bulls fought for him back in 2021 and even nearly doubled the Los Angeles Lakers' offer of $21 million. Now, he will be entering the last year of that deal with the Bulls not finding much success in the postseason. The best thing that March Eversley and Billy Donovan could do would be to flip him for some assets, draft capital, or even a player that could develop alongside Coby White.
Clearly, Caruso is a player designed for a win-now team. The Bulls are not going to be in title contention in the near future anyway. Will Billy Donovan and Marc Eversley pull the trigger after his stock skyrocketed due to the NBA Hustle Award?
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