It is fair to say that NBA guard Alex Caruso has had success everywhere he has been. The 6’5″ Texas native was a fan favorite during his four years with the Los Angeles Lakers and has continued to develop with the Chicago Bulls.
With the NBA trade deadline around the corner, speculation is swirling that Caruso could be on the trade block for a Bulls team that has struggled to take flight this year.
According to highly respected NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the Bulls are considering letting go of one of their starters, if the deal makes sense.
The New York Knicks recently traded J Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and a 2nd-round pick and received OG Anunoby in return. The deal has transformed a Knicks franchise that has now improved to 32-18 and are 9-1 in their last 10 games.
Caruso signed a four-year $37 million contract with the Bulls in 2021 which makes him a free agent at the end of next season.
The Bulls are struggling to remain in playoff contention with a 23-27 record. The loss of star forward Zach LaVine for the remainder of the season with a foot injury in another reason Chicago could let go of some of their key pieces.
Further Reading:
NBA rumors: Bulls most intriguing trade asset revealed, and it’s not DeMar DeRozan
The Bulls could look to cash in on this trade asset that’s reportedly garnering a ton of interest in the NBA.
However, those players, as much as they can help out contending teams, will cost a pretty penny. The Bulls are hesitant to just give away some of their core players for scraps. But one player may be available for an affordable price due to his contract situation.
According to Marc Stein, Bulls center Andre Drummond “continues to generate considerable interest from various playoff-bound teams looking to add a proven center to the roster”. Stein added that the Bulls have incentivize to cash in on Drummond as a trade asset “given that he’s right there with Utah’s Kelly Olynyk in terms of in-demand big men”.
It’s not too difficult to see why Drummond, among many other big men that may be available on the trade market, would garner a ton of interest. For starters, he’s on an expiring contract worth $3.4 million, so the financial commitment from any team that would trade for him is minimal. Moreover, this prevents the Bulls from demanding a ton of assets, making a deal very plausible.
Andre Drummond also has glaring weaknesses, such as his lack of defensive mobility on the perimeter as well as his lackluster free-throw shooting, so his utility in the playoffs isn’t as extensive. This reduces his price in a trade drastically.
Nonetheless, while Drummond may no longer viewed as a starting-caliber big man, he could certainly give contending teams a boost on the glass . Drummond is averaging an impressive 7.7 points and 8.3 rebounds in a mere 15 minutes per game; for teams in need of more interior depth (perhaps the Oklahoma City Thunder or Philadelphia 76ers in light of Joel Embiid’s injury), Drummond could be a worthwhile add.
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