Getty Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks.
The Chicago Bulls are getting Alex Caruso back in the lineup for their rematch against the Los Angeles Lakers in what could be an audition for other teams such as the Dallas Mavericks.
“If you’re going after a guy like Alex Caruso, that might not cost you two first-round picks,” said Dan Favale on the ‘Hardwood Knocks’ podcast on March 28. “Just the time he’ll be in his deal and what direction the [Bulls] are going in at that point.”
Which direction the Bulls are going in is still unclear. They began what looked like an inevitable downward spiral that had them on the outside looking in on even the Play-In Tournament sitting in 11th place in the Eastern Conference as losers of five straight going into the All-Star Break this year.
Since returning, they have posted the NBA’s fourth-best record at 10-6 entering March 29.
Caruso, 29, is in the second year of a four-year, $36.9 million deal that is only partially guaranteed in the final year for roughly $3 million of the nearly $10 million he is owed.
Welcome to Alex Caruso’s block party, Bam!
He was averaging 5.7 points, 3.0 assists, and 3.0 rebounds this season shooting 44.9% from the floor and 36.5% from deep ahead of the Bulls’ matchup with L.A. He also leads the team in net efficiency differential, per Cleaning The Glass.
Dallas Needs Defense
Dallas has struggled since acquiring Kyrie Irving at the trade deadline in part because it cost them their best perimeter defender in Dorian Finney-Smith. Since the trade, Dallas has the seventh-best offense and the 25th-ranked defense hence the potential link which has been made before.
“The Mavs would love having him,” wrote Michael Pina of The Ringer on January 2, noting “(Jason Kidd coached Caruso in Los Angeles) and he fits on both ends next to Luka Doncic (just as he did with LeBron [James] a few years ago).”
Caruso won a championship with the Lakers in 2020 in the NBA bubble in Orlando, two years before signing with the Bulls in free agency.
But, on top of likely commanding a ransom, Caruso might not solve the Mavs’ issues.
“Presumably, you want a bigger wing defender if you’re going to consolidate,” Favale concedes. “So, no, if I’m the Mavs I’m not giving up two first-round picks for Alex Caruso. But those are names they have the assets to actually go out and get.”
Mavs Could Take a Look Further Down Bulls’ Bench
There could be an even better way for the Mavericks to extract maximum value from their limited assets on the Bulls’ roster.
“You could take fliers on defensive-first guys on the perimeter or just cheaper, backend rotation guys on other teams,” Favale argues. “A Javonte Green would really help this roster. You can go for that and you can still make trades and you’re still going to have your mini mid-level exception.”
Green, like Caruso, was cleared to return against the Lakers.
Unlike Caruso, the 29-year-old Green will be a free agent this coming offseason and could generate interest from a team with the ability to offer him the full mid-level exception which the Bulls might not want to commit to.