Even though they’ve found some momentum after a poor start to the 2023-24 NBA season, the Miami Heat could be exploring ways to improve their roster. And the latest word on the street is that Alex Caruso might be on their radar.
The 29-year-old is one of the most respected role players in the league, having made an impression during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers before he joined the Chicago Bulls.
According to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com, an unnamed Eastern Conference executive believes the Heat desperately need a guard, which is why he sees them as a possible suitor of Caruso:
“They need a guard in the worst way,” one Eastern Conference executive said. “They’re not out there beating the bushes for a trade or anything, that is not how they operate. They’re going to say they like Josh and they like Dru Smith, and all of that. But they’ve got to be concerned and if the Bulls let it be known that Alex Caruso can be traded, they’d have to be the first in line. He is an Erik Spoelstra kind of guy all the way. They have an eye on him, for sure. We all do.”
Alex Caruso in action with the Chicago Bulls
The Heat rotation has changed
The Heat roster had a few changes on their rotation in the offseason, but they couldn’t land another star next to Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Damian Lillard was their target for months, but he ended up in Milwaukee.
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In the meantime, Erik Spoelstra lost key contributors to the team’s run to the 2023 NBA Finals. Gabe Vincent and Max Strus walked away in free agency, while Victor Oladipo was traded to Oklahoma.
With the season already underway, Miami may not pursue another big-name player and focus on improving its depth instead. And while Caruso hasn’t been placed on the market yet, the Bulls’ struggles could make them enter rebuild mode.
Bulls may need to rebuild
With a 4-6 start to the season that sees them 12th in the East, the Bulls are far from that promising team when Lonzo Ball was healthy. Even with the likes of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic still on the roster, they cannot seem to get things going. If the results don’t change, Chicago could end up trading before the deadline.
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In that scenario, Caruso is a player that could bring an interesting compensation. The 29-year-old’s contribution on both ends of the floor and championship experience makes him stand out from other role players. In fact, the executive understands there are more teams apart from Miami that would like to have Caruso on board.
“Coveted is a good word for him. If you want to make a trade tomorrow they could trade Alex Caruso,” the executive told Heavy Sports. “Half the teams in the league would be there with an offer. There’s a lot of teams monitoring that situation and they’re looking at Caruso more than anyone on that roster. Just a matter of when the Bulls are ready to make changes and ready to let him go.”
Caruso has definitely made a name for himself in the league, despite being initially overlooked in the 2016 NBA Draft. That’s why, if the Bulls consider the idea of trading him, a number of teams may pick up the phone.
