The Chicago Bulls wasted no time once NBA free agency started at the beginning of the month, as Lonzo Ball’s deal with the Bulls was one of the first free agent deals announced. But when Alex Caruso learned of the news, he didn’t think it was possible for him to also land in Chicago.
“The Bulls were always one of the teams that my agent said had some sort of interest,” Caruso said during his introductory press conference. “I honestly didn’t understand that there was still room for me to be here after the Lonzo deal was announced, and it was shortly after that my agent kind of explained they were still interested — maybe even more so now.”
Additionally, he noted that the Bulls wanted to further add to their guard depth. After speaking on the phone with head coach Billy Donovan and executive vice president of basketball operations Artūras Karnišovas, Caruso realized it was “a good situation.”
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Caruso’s agent, Greg Lawrence, said the guard’s four-year deal with the Bulls amounts to $37 million.
Caruso comes to Chicago following four years with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he won a championship in 2020. This past season, Caruso averaged 6.4 points on 43.6% shooting from the field in addition to posting 2.8 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game.
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Caruso Looking Forward to Sharing Backcourt with Star Guards
During the first two seasons Caruso spent with the Lakers, Lonzo Ball — another new addition to the Bulls’ backcourt — was still in Los Angeles. However, Caruso was on a two-way contract then. So when he would come join the Lakers, he said it was because either Ball or Rajon Rondo were hurt.
As such, Caruso said they didn’t get to spend much time with each other or have a chance to “build off-the-court chemistry.” But he also mentioned in his introductory press conference that he looks forward to sharing the court with Ball.
“We have a solid base, a good chemistry, good connection, and I’m looking forward to pushing that to new heights when I get to Chicago,” Caruso said.
Another Bulls guard Caruso is excited to play alongside? All-Star and recent Olympic gold medalist Zach LaVine.
The guard from Texas A&M brought up LaVine after briefly reflecting on his time as a teammate to LeBron James. Caruso said that getting to throw lobs to James will be one thing he is going to miss. But he also knows that there’s a good chance he’ll have the opportunity to throw lobs up with the Bulls as well.
“Hopefully me and Zach can get on that same page,” Caruso said.
Caruso Talks Defense
During his four years in the NBA, Caruso has made a name for himself through his toughness and defense. When asked about his role as a defender, he said “I have a naïve mindset where I just believe I’m always going to get the job done.
The Bulls needed a defensive boost, particularly in the backcourt, and Caruso can provide just that. He went as far as to say that defense is a “catalyst” for his game.
While he is unsure about what kind of defensive schemes the Bulls will be implementing, Caruso sounded confident in the potential success Chicago can achieve with their defense. More specifically, how they can turn their defense into offense by way of their backcourt.
“We got athletic guards — young, athletic guards that I’m sure are going to try to play in transition as much as possible,” Caruso said. “If we can get stops and get out on the break, then it’s going to help us a lot.”
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Alex Caruso Wasn’t Sure He Could Join Bulls After Lonzo Ball Deal