I expect it will take approximately 4 minutes into the first preseason game for us to miss Alex Caruso.
To be sure, trading him was the right thing to do. But he was also one of the few players on this roster who consistently made the Chicago Bulls watchable. As important as DeMar DeRozan was in the team’s ability to keep games close and pull off clutch wins, the case could be made Caruso was equally as important. Whether it be his timely 3-point shotmaking or his typical lockdown defense, the Bulls are bound for far more late-game struggles than we grew accustomed to.
The good news is that the move will at least open the door further for Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu to leave their mark. While each player had their moments in crunch time last year, they still knew to defer to their veteran teammates at times. That doesn’t project to be the case this year. Heck, even if DeRozan is re-signed, I expect to see both White and Dosunmu taking on more of a leadership position. White will continue to be tasked with his fair share of shotmaking responsibilities – especially if Zach LaVine is moved in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, Dosunmu might as well be the team’s best perimeter defender now. Let’s see if he can become an anchor of sorts.
Speaking of being a defensive anchor, Alex Caruso’s job is only going to get easier in OKC. The Thunder already finished with 4th best defense in the NBA last season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tied for first in total steals. Chet Holmgren finished behind only Victor Wembanyama in total blocks. Jalen Williams is as versatile as they come. And Lu Dort is already known as a perimeter pest. Caruso will have more help than ever before, and he sounds excited for it:
“Really excited. I looked up some highlights of them the other day just playing defense to kind of get myself in that kind of headspace because I was excited for it … They have rim protection, they have active hands, guys that are willing got sacrifice for the team. Those things are all important. I’m excited to add to that,” Alex Caruso said during his first OKC media availability.
I’m sorry the Bulls couldn’t make your life easier, AC. The two-time All-Defensive guard also shared that he was at home in Austin and about to hit some golf balls when Karnisovas gave him the call. While Caruso said that rumors around the deadline the past couple of years made him at least somewhat aware a trade could go down, he still said that the news was startling:
“Was a bit of a surprise to me the day it did happen. Usually, stuff like that happens centered around the draft and stuff like that, so caught a little off guard. But, at the end of the day, it’s professional sports. You take it in stride and do the best you can,” Alex Caruso told reporters.
Caruso has yet to send the city of Chicago or the Bulls organization any kind of social media send-off. However, he did answer a question about his time with the franchise on Monday, sharing only good things about the connections he made:
“I loved playing my three years with Billy. He’s a great coach. Me and him had some really good conversations … Great memories. I’m not going to lose those relationships even though I left Chicago. I’ve made great relationships over three years with people in the city – Chicago itself, but obviously teammates and coaches,” Alex Caruso said.
The veteran guard also shared a great anecdote about when Billy Donovan cut him from the Thunder early in his career. The head coach apparently said that he believed Caruso could be an NBA player if he worked on his body and jumper. Caruso said he did just that, only to have a full circle moment where the two best seasons of his career were held under Donovan in Chicago. Pretty cool stuff. You can check out Alex Caruso’s full media availability on YouTube.
FWIW: Josh Giddey is expected to speak for the first time as a Bull later today. I’ll be very curious to see if anyone asks him about his conversations with the front office. Did they tell him the role they expect him to play? Did they give him any insight on how else they plan to build out this roster? Whatever Giddey’s expectations are could tell us at least something about what is to come.
If one thing is for sure, Giddey will bring the Bulls a level of playmaking they haven’t had in years. He’s averaged 5.7 assists per game over his career. A Bull hasn’t down that in a single season since 2018-19.
FWIW: Josh Giddey has averaged 5.7 assists per game over his first three seasons in the league.
The last time the Chicago Bulls had a player average at least that amount in a single season was Kris Dunn in 2018-19.
They've long needed someone with Giddey's distributing ability.— Elias Schuster (@Schuster_Elias) June 24, 2024
Coby White is never going to be a special defender, but he has shown a lot of progress when it comes to being in the right place at the right time. I bet he learned that from Alex Caruso (who NBA University clarified is No. 4 on this list, by the way).
Most Offensive Fouls Drawn 2023-2024
1. Jalen Brunson—75 2. Lu Dort—56 3. Coby White—50 4. Coby White—42 5. Brandin Podziemski—42 6. Aaron Nesmith—41 7. Garrison Matthews—38 8. TJ McConnell—36 T9. Jalen Suggs—35 T9. Trae Young—35 T9. THJ—35 T9. Tre Jones—35
Elias Schuster is the Lead Chicago Bulls writer at Bleacher Nation. He started with BN full-time in 2019 immediately after graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign with a degree in Journalism (yes, he started with the Jim Boylen Era). Since joining, Elias has been the driving force behind Bulls and NBA content for both the site and social accounts. You can follow him on Twitter/X @Schuster_Elias.
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