INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - JANUARY 24: Alex Caruso #6 of the Chicago Bulls looks on in the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on January 24, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Latest trade report should remove Bulls’ Alex Caruso from Knicks’ radar
Alex Caruso is a player that the New York Knicks have reportedly expressed interest in, however, his price tag might be too high for any team to pursue him in a trade. Similar to the Raptors, the Bulls have underperformed this season as they currently sit at 10th in the East with a 23-26 record.
Chicago has been linked to New York in trade rumors, but those rumors have mainly involved Zach LaVine. The Bulls haven’t shown any indication that they’re going to deal LaVine, which is good news for Knicks fans because he isn’t the All-Star that New York should go after.
Caruso would come at a cheaper price than LaVine, but according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, the Bulls’ “asking price has been so astronomical that it all but confirmed a Suns-Times report that Caruso is basically untouchable.” Cowley wrote that one source referred to Caruso as “the culture” of Chicago’s organization.
Knicks trade target Alex Caruso reportedly has an “astronomical” asking price
With the Knicks struggling to finish games, Alex Caruso would be a great closer. He’s made a name for himself in the NBA with his defense and he’s won an NBA title with the Lakers, who were foolish to let him walk in free agency after lowballing him. There’s no doubt that Caruso would be a great pickup for New York.
However, the front office shouldn’t be willing to overpay for Caruso, which is what it seems like Chicago has set the bar at. Caruso is making $9 million this season and is set to make $9.5 million in 2023-24 before having a partially guaranteed salary of $3 million in 2024-25. Theoretically, based on his salary, it wouldn’t be hard for the Knicks to get a deal done with the Bulls, but Chicago has priced Caruso’s value higher than that.
The Warriors are another team that has been linked to Caruso, but it doesn’t look like he’ll be going back to California based on the Sun-Times’ report. With the Bulls fighting to stay in play-in range in the East, Caruso is viewed as a crucial piece of their organization. That could change in the next 10 days, but don’t expect to see Alex Caruso being dealt to New York, or any other team, between now and the Feb. 9 trade deadline.
