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Bulls’ struggles could make ideal Raptors trade target available

BySourav Mahanty|
TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 6: Gary Trent Jr. #33 of the Toronto Raptors drives against Alex Caruso #6 of the Chicago Bulls during the second half of their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on November 6, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 6: Gary Trent Jr. #33 of the Toronto Raptors drives against Alex Caruso #6 of the Chicago Bulls during the second half of their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on November 6, 2022 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. 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 Mark Blinch/Getty Images)

The Toronto Raptors have made a solid start to the season despite having to deal with a series of injury problems since the beginning. Nick Nurse’s side finds themselves with a 13-2 record and sitting at 7th in the Eastern Conference. The same thing cannot be said about the Chicago Bulls’ start to the campaign, however.

The Bulls are coming off of a very good 2021-22 season where they had a 46-36 record in the regular season. This was good enough to finish sixth in the Eastern Conference. They were eliminated in the first round of the Playoffs but came into the season with tons of hype.

This time around, the Bulls seem to have taken a step back and are 10-14 to start off the season, sitting in the lottery. With their chances of even making it to the postseason looking slimmer at the moment, there is a possibility that the franchise could decide to blow up its roster and embark on a rebuild.

Names like DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic are already emerging in trade talks.

That could very well make Alex Caruso available, who would be an ideal trade target for the Raptors as they look to make a run in the Playoffs this time around.

Could the Toronto Raptors trade for Alex Caruso?

It goes without saying that Caruso is not the most statistically proficient of players. He would not come in and become the face of the franchise. At the same time, he is any coach’s dream.

Caruso is absolutely top-notch defensively, and his effort is off the charts. If you are on the same court as him, he will probably outwork you. The Raptors do not have the deepest roster at the moment, and they could definitely do with his infectious energy off the bench and pesky defensive skills.

On the other end of the court, Caruso is a quality shooter that could improve in Toronto. This season, he has scored 41% of his field goals and drained 35% of his shots from 3-point range. He is averaging 5.4 points, 3.9 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.5 steals over 26 minutes of action per game.

Caruso is not too expensive either and is on a 4-year, $37 million deal with the Bulls. And at 28 years of age, he should have his best years ahead of him.

There are some concerns surrounding Caruso’s injury history. He has had to deal with several short-term issues in recent times, and he did break his wrist earlier this year. Toronto must be very judicious in how he is deployed early on.

Overall, bringing in Caruso would make a lot of sense for the Raptors, as he fits the scheme without breaking the bank.