The Chicago Bulls find themselves deep in NBA trade rumors ahead of Thursday's deadline. Chicago is 23-27 and sits ninth in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls are mulling the idea of shipping Alex Caruso in a last-minute trade, but reports suggest otherwise.

The Bulls could keep Caruso past the NBA trade deadline

Alex Caruso is one of the best defenders in the NBA. The veteran guard averages 1.1 steals and 1.3 blocks per contest through the midpoint of the 2023-24 season. However, his impact goes beyond stats. Caruso's vocal leadership, hustle, and IQ make him extremely valuable.

Thus, sources say a deal involving Caruso at the deadline is unlikely to materialize, per insight from ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel. Chicago maintains its high asking price for the defensive-minded guard and would like to keep him long-term.

On the other hand, the Bulls are more receptive to calls for veteran forward DeMar DeRozan. DeRozan signed with Chicago during the summer of 2021. While his presence is admired by the organization, it has not resulted in the deep playoff run Chicago hoped for.

The Bulls have not made the playoffs since their first-round exit from the 2021-22 season. Of course, not everything falls on the shoulders of DeRozan.

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Chicago had a promising squad when Lonzo Ball was healthy, as the team climbed as high as the 1st seed in the East in 2021-22. Yet, Ball has faced tough injury woes. The 26-year-guard hopes to be fully healthy by the start of the 2024-25 season.

It will be interesting to see how the NBA trade deadline plays out for Chicago amid endless rumors.