Lakers’ True Interest in Reuniting With Bulls’ Alex Caruso Revealed: Report

Getty Alex Caruso #6, Chicago Bulls

In a December 14 Bleacher Report story, Eric Pincus wrote about trade rumors going on around the league. Among the trade rumors was one involving the Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls. Pincus reported the Lakers’ interest in DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vučević as well as their possible interest in reuniting with Alex Caruso.

“The Lakers have interest in DeMar DeRozan and Vučević, likely for two future first-round picks (and Westbrook). It’s unclear if L.A. would also want to bring back Alex Caruso.”

Pincus also made it clear that, for the time being, the Bulls are not interested in trades that would make them worse.

“Today, the Bulls don’t care what the Lakers might want as they continue to push forward. Any overture that involves the team taking a step back will be rejected—but that may change closer to the deadline.”

The Bulls are 11-15, which puts them as the 11th seed in the Eastern Conference. The Lakers are 11-16, which puts them as the 12th seed in the Western Conference. The Bulls traded their top-4 protected 2023 first-round pick to the Orlando Magic when they acquired Vučević, while the Lakers agreed to a 2023 pick swap with the New Orleans Pelicans when they acquired Anthony Davis.

Caruso is in the second year of a four-year contract he signed with the Bulls in 2021.

Insider Believes Lakers May Target Zach LaVine

While DeRozan and Vučević have come up as possible trade targets for the Lakers, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports believes that if he were to become available, the Lakers would target Zach LaVine. In a conversation with Vincent Goodwill, Fischer said that LaVine is the type of player the Lakers would be looking for

“The Lakers, I think if Zach LaVine was on the table, that’s the type of player– when they’ve been saying both publicly and privately or whatever that they’re holding out these picks and holding Russ for an actual difference-making player, they’re talking about a Zach LaVine. They’re talking about a Bradley Beal. They’re talking about insert– fill in the blank of other players that have been linked to LeBron and the Lakers down the line, right?”

LaVine is in the first year of a five-year, $215 million contract extension he signed with the Bulls over the summer, where he’ll make $37,096,500 for the 2022-23 season. By contrast, Westbrook will make $47,063,478.

In 22 games this season, LaVine has averaged 21.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists while shooting 43.4 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from three.

Caruso Named in Top 100 List

In a December 14 The Ringer story written by multiple analysts, Caruso was among the five Bulls named in an article ranking the top 100 players in the NBA. Michael Pina singled out Caruso’s defense as to why he’s so valuable as a player.

“Three things in life are true: death, taxes, and Caruso’s team will be better on defense when he’s on the floor. He is concentrated energy on that end, wreaking havoc, amassing deflections at a mind-boggling rate, shouting rotational instructions to teammates who wouldn’t otherwise react so quickly. His talents might not be as appreciated on losing teams, but Caruso’s instincts can translate in the regular season as much as the playoffs,” Pina said.

Besides Caruso, DeRozan (no. 22), LaVine (no. 40), and Vučević (no. 88) were the other Bulls ranked on the list.