Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso may hear his name in plenty ahead of the NBA trade deadline (Feb. 9) but he isn't putting much, if any, stock in them.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday about the trade rumors he finds himself in, Caruso says: “I fully expect to be here.”
Caruso has been one of the league's most popular players ever since he turned heads and raised eyebrows while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. Of course, the star power of LeBron James gave him the type of stage he might not have held elsewhere. His skillset as a smart and athletic 3-and-D guard also allowed him to standout.
Nonetheless, for the Bulls to trade Caruso would be a head-scratching move in many ways.
Unless, that is, they believe that their window for a deep playoff run is closing. Which they could.
Starting point guard Lonzo Ball is attempting to overcome a serious knee injury and it hasn't gone well. Zach LaVine, who has suffered myriad knee injuries since last May, has had his name tossed into trade winds. DeMar DeRozan is playing the best basketball of his career, but his contract expires after the 2023-24 season.
Meanwhile, Caruso is averaging 5.7 points, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals in 24.5 minutes per game this season, while shooting 40.0 percent from 3-point range. Should the Bulls opt to move him and his $9 million contract, it shouldn't be difficult to find an acceptable deal for him.
Caruso expects to remain in Chicago, but the NBA is where the unexpected happens.
Still, it's nice to hear that Caruso is confident that he'll be with the Bulls past the trade deadline. As in many cases, the 28-year-old could be privy to information that nobody outside of the organization is.
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