Alex Caruso Unsure He Could Join Bulls After Lonzo Ball

Last Friday, Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball was drafted third overall by the Los Angeles Lakers. Ball was widely expected to go in the top two, but instead fell. NBA draft experts and fans alike were left scratching their heads about why he fell from such heights. The Lakers’ front office certainly was shocked, and it’s unclear how they’ll fill their need at point guard. The most obvious answer is that they will draft another point guard. At this point, it seems a foregone conclusion.

The Bulls acquired two-way player Aaron Holiday and journeyman point guard Rajon Rondo in return for a first-round pick and a second-round pick. As expected, Holiday is the headliner, but Rondo is an intriguing piece in his own right. Rondo, 37, has spent his entire career as a floor general in the NBA, averaging 11.4 points and 6.3 assists in his career, including his best season with the Sacramento Kings in 2007-08, when he totaled 12.2 points and 6.9 assists per game.

Alex Caruso, the son of former NBA player, Chucky Caruso, has been a part of the Villanova basketball program since his freshman year. However, over the past week, he has had to consider leaving the team, after Lonzo Ball announced that he would be entering the NBA draft.. Read more about chicago bears news and let us know what you think.

Alex Caruso Unsure He Could Join Bulls After Lonzo Ball

Alex Caruso/Getty Images

When NBA free agency began at the beginning of the month, the Chicago Bulls wasted no time in signing Lonzo Ball, who was one of the first free agents to sign with the team. When Alex Caruso first heard the news, he didn’t believe it was feasible for him to go to Chicago as well.

During his introduction news conference, Caruso remarked, “The Bulls were always one of the clubs that my agency claimed had some kind of interest.” “I honestly didn’t realize there was still space for me here when the Lonzo trade was revealed, and it was until a few days later that my agent indicated they were still interested — maybe even more so now.”

He also said that the Bulls needed to improve their guard depth. Caruso felt it was a “excellent scenario” after chatting with head coach Billy Donovan and senior vice president of basketball operations Artras Karniovas over the phone.

Caruso’s agent, Greg Lawrence, told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the guard’s four-year contract with the Bulls is for $37 million.

Caruso joins the Bulls after four seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he won a title in 2020. Caruso averaged 6.4 points per game last season on 43.6 percent shooting from the field, along with 2.8 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.1 steals a game.

Get the most up-to-date Bulls news sent right to your email! Here’s where you can sign up for the Heavy on Bulls newsletter.

Join the Heavy on Bulls team!

Caruso Excited to Play with Star Guards in the Backcourt

Lonzo Ball, another fresh member to the Bulls’ backcourt, was still in Los Angeles throughout Caruso’s first two seasons with the Lakers. Caruso, on the other hand, was on a two-way deal at the time. So when he claimed he was joining the Lakers, it was because either Ball or Rajon Rondo was injured.

As a result, Caruso claimed they didn’t get to spend much time together or develop “off-the-court chemistry.” In his introduction news conference, he also said that he is looking forward to sharing the court with Ball.

“We have a strong foundation, excellent chemistry, and a nice relationship, and when I go to Chicago, I’m looking forward to taking it to new heights,” Caruso added.

Caruso is looking forward to playing with another Bulls guard? Zach LaVine is an NBA All-Star and a recent Olympic gold winner.

The guard from Texas A&M brought up LaVine after briefly reflecting on his time as a teammate to LeBron James. Caruso said that getting to throw lobs to James will be one thing he is going to miss. But he also knows that there’s a good chance he’ll have the opportunity to throw lobs up with the Bulls as well.

Caruso stated, “Hopefully, myself and Zach can get on the same page.”

Caruso Discusses Defense

Caruso has established a reputation for himself in the NBA for his tenacity and defense throughout his four years there. “I have a naive mentality where I simply think I’m always going to get the job done,” he remarked when questioned about his position as a defender.

Caruso can provide the Bulls a defensive lift, especially in the backcourt, which they desperately needed. He even went so far as to call defense a “spark” for his game.

Caruso seemed optimistic in the potential success Chicago may accomplish with their defense, despite not knowing what type of defensive systems the Bulls would use. More particularly, how they may use their backcourt to convert their defense into attack.

Caruso stated, “We acquired athletic guards – young, athletic guards that I’m sure will want to play in transition as much as possible.” “It will assist us a lot if we can get stops and go out on the break.”

READ NEXT: Lonzo Ball Makes an Impression at the Bulls’ Introductory Press Conference [WATCH]

The Los Angeles Lakers just acquired a young scoring guard from the New York Knicks in exchange for a package that includes Julius Randle. Though the deal was a surprise to many, it’s a classic move for Los Angeles, who has been shopping Randle for months now and had trouble finding a team to take him. In the end, the Lakers wound up with Alex Caruso as part of the deal, a small forward who has proven to be a solid player in the past.. Read more about who does lonzo ball play for and let us know what you think.