New Chicago Bulls players that will help elevate the bench: Alex Caruso
The most notable free agent signing that the Bulls made this summer thus far, outside of the major sign-and-trade deals, came in the form of the former Los Angeles Lakers defensive standout point guard Alex Caruso. The 6-foot-4 and 185-pound former Texas A&M Aggies standout guard is going to immediately become a top defensive stopper for the Bulls.
This is a really nice snag for Donovan and the Bulls thanks to the fit with Caruso’s skill set in this backcourt unit. Caruso is a tremendous on-ball defender that creates a lot of disruption. And he’s an excellent shooter from deep, that also facilitates the offense with moderate effectiveness and a minimal amount of unforced errors.
Caruso is going to definitely be a stabilizing force for the Bulls off the bench in the backcourt. He can help to make up for any defensive lapses that the Bulls might get out of someone like LaVine or the former North Carolina Tar Heels point guard Coby White. Caruso might also be the best defensive guard that the Bulls have in the mix now, potentially outside of Lonzo and shooting guard Javonte Green.
The only snag that some people find in the signing of Caruso was the commitment that the front office gave to him on this newly signed contract. The Bulls signed Caruso to a four-year contract worth a total of around $37 million. That is a lot to give a player that might not even occupy a sixth man role off the bench.
But given the nice fit with Caruso’s skill set in Chicago, this signing should be worth it in the end.