Make no mistake — the Golden State Warriors have given kernels of hope that turning their disappointing season around is still a distinct possibility, like when they pummeled the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night. Nevertheless, after 40-plus games of .500 ball, it has become clear that their roster has holes.
To that end, Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso has been submitted by pundits and armchair GMs alike as a player who could help turn the tide. And given the crossover that exists between his skill set and that of Gary Payton II — who was a key cog in the Dubs’ 2022 title win — there’s definitely something to be said for a potential partnership.
For his part, NBC Sports Chicago‘s KC Johnson actually named the Warriors while addressing Caruso’s trade market.
“The defensive-minded guard would be a plug-and-play reserve — and closer — for virtually any contender or team serious about making a playoff push,” wrote Johnson. “Golden State has been one prominently mentioned rumor…”
The New York Knicks were also mentioned as a team to “keep an eye on.” However, any team wishing to add the energetic, do-everything guard to its mix could have its work cut out in actually making it happen.
Despite the Warriors’ Rumored Interest in Alex Caruso, the Baller May Not Be Available to Them at the Deadline
Although Caruso’s name has been mentioned in relation to the Dubs with increased frequency around the hoops blogosphere, the 28-year-old may not actually be obtainable. At least, that’s the sense that league insider Michael Scotto has gotten in his conversations with front-office types.
“From what I’ve heard from executives, Patrick Williams and Alex Caruso are not for sale right now in Chicago,” Scotto said on the January 12 episode of The HoopsHype Podcast.
However, Scotto did say that “if they want to shake up their team, they can get a decent return on Caruso.”
Whether this would constitute a “decent return” or not is up for debate but, back in December, an Eastern Conference GM told Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney that he could envision a scenario in which Golden State offered up a certain former No. 2 pick for the Bulls guard.
“The Warriors, they could send out a young guy, a guy like [James] Wiseman to get into win-now mode.”
Caruso Is on One of the Most Team-Friendly Deals in the NBA
Caruso may pop up on a highlight reel from time to time with hustle plays or the off posterization, but he has never been the kind of player to steal the headlines or make the first page of the scouting report. Before becoming a spot starter last season, getting first-team minutes at all was a rarity for him.
And yet, he affects winning in a fairly significant way.
Although the Bulls are a net-negative team this season, they outscore opponents by 3.0 points per 100 possessions when Caruso is on the floor, a number that represents a net swing of 6.6 compared to when he sits.
Meanwhile, he’s the only player in the whole league to log a line of 8.0 points, 5.1 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2.4 steals or better per 36 minutes while converting at least 40% of their three-point attempts.
With all that being said, the fact that he’s locked into a contract paying him right around $9 million per annum through 2024-25 (a season in which he’s only partially guaranteed at $3 million) makes him an unbelievable bargain. Of course, that’s also probably a big reason why acquiring him from the cash-conscious Bulls could be a tall order.
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Warriors Linked to Do-Everything Floor General in Trade Chatter