What the Alex Caruso trade means for DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball
The Chicago Bulls got their offseason started yesterday when they traded Alex Caruso for Josh Giddey.
Now the focus turns to what is next. Is this the first step of a rebuild? And what does it mean for DeMar DeRozan and Lonzo Ball?
Will DeMar DeRozan want to stay with the Chicago Bulls?
The Bulls and DeRozan have yet to agree on a contract extension and you have to wonder how DeRozan will take the news of losing one of his best teammates.
Josh Giddey is a nice player with some upside, but it’s hard to say this trade made the Bulls better and Caruso seems like the kind of guy that any player would enjoy playing with, as he is selfless, does the dirty work and doesn’t take many shots.
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If DeRozan sees this as a step back, he may reconsider his options, though there aren’t many teams with the cap space to make him the type of offer the Bulls are reportedly willing to make.
DeRozan was most recently spotted on stage at a Kendrick Lamar concert in LA, which prompted speculation that he might flee to a team closer to his home city.
If the Caruso trade is a sign that the Bulls are starting over, DeRozan’s future with the team is less clear.
Trading for Josh Giddey is not a great sign for Lonzo Ball
Josh Giddey is similar to Lonzo Ball when he first entered the league, as he’s a big point guard who can make plays, defend and rebound but can’t shoot. Ball eventually figured it out, but the addition of Giddey is not a great sign for Lonzo’s future with the Bulls.
Ball is on an expiring contract anyway, and Chicago couldn’t risk counting on Ball to be healthy, so it’s clear they just traded for his eventual replacement. Lonzo has morphed into more of a 3-and-D wing who mostly makes plays in transition, so he and Giddey are not a terrible fit if he is healthy.
If Ball is healthy, great. If not, the Bulls have insurance and a guy who fits well with Coby White for the future.
The Bulls can now focus on other positions in the upcoming NBA Draft and don’t have to reach for a guard.
DeRozan will probably wait to see what happens with Zach LaVine before making his decision, but this could also spell the end of the Bulls’ current core.
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