Former Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso recently met with the media for the first time as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The actual trade has faced some consternation from the outside world.
Many reactions expressed some form of surprise at the deal. The Bulls did not receive any draft capital along with former first-round pick Josh Giddey.
A new report from The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Anthony Slater reveals at least one other offer.
“The Kings already tried to use it for a significant roster upgrade. They were close to a trade for defensive ace Alex Caruso last week, according to league sources, offering the No. 13 pick to Chicago as the key chip,” Amick and Slater wrote on June 24. “The Bulls, to the surprise of many within the league, instead opted to send Caruso to Oklahoma City for Josh Giddey.”
Reports of league-wide interest in Caruso have made rounds in the rumor mill for the past two years.
There were also reports of the Bulls and Kings holding talks.
Bulls Chose Thunder Over Multiple Other Offers for Alex Caruso
“The Sacramento Kings are going back to the well with the same trade package they offered Toronto twice for OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam. The offer includes Harrison Barnes, Kevin Huerter and draft pick compensation. They’re known to have had calls with Chicago involving Zach LaVine and Alex Caruso,” Action Network’s Matt Moore wrote on June 18.
The Kings are not the only team that offered the Bulls draft capital for Caruso. It remains unclear what else the offers consisted of if anything, though.
The Bulls’ trade of Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey signals a step back for them as it relates to the upcoming season, which could help them keep their top 10-protected pick in the 1st round of a loaded 2025 draft, @JCowleyHoops told @ParkinsSpiegel.
Listen: t.co/Jll0gLaReR
Still, one of them would have netted them a pick that landed in the top-10 of the draft.
“According to a source with knowledge of the situation, the Bulls have received offers from multiple teams, consisting of multiple protected first-round picks ahead of the 2024 Trade Deadline,” CHGO’s Will Gottlieb wrote on June 17. “One of those deals included a pick that ended up in the top-10 of the 2024 Draft, the source said.”
Alex Caruso Deal Could Put Bulls in Bind With Zach LaVine Trade
Only the Bulls and the teams with whom they spoke know exactly what was on the table. And the Bulls are high on what Giddey could bring to the table. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski pointed to the continued uncertainty around Lonzo Ball.
The Bulls have been determined to find a playmaker to replace Lonzo Ball, and Giddey , 21, comes with an All-Star potential that would unlikely be realized with the Thunder because of the playmaking starpower who surrounded him. The Bulls will offer him an opportunity to have the…
However, moving on from Caruso could prove costly to the Bulls. Their previous main goal of the offseason was trading LaVine.
“Zach LaVine has been rumored, and league sources confirm Sacramento has some level of interest, but he would arrive with a tricky contract situation,” Amick and Slater wrote. “LaVine has three years and $137.8 [million] left on his current deal, a perhaps unpalatable number considering the Kings’ growing financial picture. Any deal on this front, league sources said, would likely involve the Kings needing to be incentivized to take on LaVine’s massive deal.”
LaVine’s contract and injury history have long been issues for the Bulls.
It figures to continue until. At least until the Bulls trade LaVine away or he rehabs his image around the league.
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Bulls: ‘Key Chip’ in Failed Alex Caruso Trade Attempt Revealed in New Report