Bulls sign Alex Caruso - 4 years, $37 million

[GoBlue72391]

Theis got basically the same amount as Caruso. As I said, I like the fact that Caruso brings 3+D and positional versatility, but man, we could have kept Theis for basically the same amount we gave to Caruso...we have zero rim protectors and Theis was a great fit to offset Vuch's weaknesses. That's tough to accept.

Free agency isn't over yet my friend...

True, but Theis is gone. Taj offers most of the same things as Theis, though not at the same level at this point in his career, and can likely be had for the minimum so I think he would be a great option.

[kulaz3000]

Theis got basically the same amount as Caruso. As I said, I like the fact that Caruso brings 3+D and positional versatility, but man, we could have kept Theis for basically the same amount we gave to Caruso...we have zero rim protectors and Theis was a great fit to offset Vuch's weaknesses. That's tough to accept.

Free agency isn't over yet my friend...

Also, there could be more trades on the horizon. Still early days yet.

[Chi town]

Caruso makes Coby and Zach better right away. Great D. High IQ. Always makes the right play. Spaces the floor.

Best thing about him. He plays with an EDGE.
We need that badly.

[Dresden]

All is can say is "wow". I did not expect the Bulls to be one of the most active teams in FA. First the Cubs, now the Bulls. What's happening here?

I don't know if these moves will be good or not, but I do like the fact that unlike the old regime, AK is not afraid to mix it up and try some new things, instead of sticking with the same players year after year. It shows he's not satisfied with incremental change, which is something we need- management that thinks big and does big things to make that happen. This might completely flop, but at least we aren't trotting the same old team out there again, and hoping that things will be different for some reason.

Not only that, but this seems to be the way of the new NBA. You tear teams apart and rebuild on the fly, and the pieces don't fit, you do it again and again until you acquire the right mix.

[R3AL1TY]

This an an unnecessary signing to me. Troy Brown can give you the same production. Caruso is just more proven due to having more playing time. The more combo guards, the more merrier I guess.

[Kurt Heimlich]

Caruso makes Coby and Zach better right away. Great D. High IQ. Always makes the right play. Spaces the floor.

Best thing about him. He plays with an EDGE.
We need that badly.

I doubt Coby is feeling good after today however. Today's moved are frankly a direct inditement on how far short coby fell last year. Two significant 4 year contracts for the other guard spot. Add in the Ayo pick and I'm struggling to visualize Cobys place on this team. My feeling is AKME would love to salvage some value out of coby via trade if a taker was out there.

[PaKii94]

Theis got basically the same amount as Caruso. As I said, I like the fact that Caruso brings 3+D and positional versatility, but man, we could have kept Theis for basically the same amount we gave to Caruso...we have zero rim protectors and Theis was a great fit to offset Vuch's weaknesses. That's tough to accept.

Free agency isn't over yet my friend...

True, but Theis is gone. Taj offers most of the same things as Theis, though not at the same level at this point in his career, and can likely be had for the minimum so I think he would be a great option.

I liked Theis. When I saw his contract with the rockets, I thought the bulls should have at the very least matched it. But I just went to look at the numbers. Theis didn't really play well with our bigs. It just seemed like it because his toughness was a breath of fresh air coming from a WCJ/Lauri/Gafford/Felicio rotation.

Here was our two man combos (NET RTG):
Vuc/Thad - +3.1
Vuc/Lauri - -0.3
Vuc/Theis - -11.2
Vuc/PWill - -8.0

Thad/Lauri - +3.5
Thad/Theis - -20.8

Lauri/Theis - +4.8


Theis was the odd man out. Looking at these numbers, I don't mind a trio of Vuc/Lauri/Thad if we can get another defensive bigman. Also, people who want PWill to start next to Vuc are in for a rude awakening unless PWill has taken a big step forward by next year.

The funny thing is the Lauri/Theis pairing had the highest net rating. That's the combo I would have preferred if we could have traded vuc. But since it seems like Vuc is here to stay...

[MGB8]

Free agency isn't over yet my friend...

True, but Theis is gone. Taj offers most of the same things as Theis, though not at the same level at this point in his career, and can likely be had for the minimum so I think he would be a great option.

I liked Theis. When I saw his contract with the rockets, I thought the bulls should have at the very least matched it. But I just went to look at the numbers. Theis didn't really play well with our bigs. It just seemed like it because his toughness was a breath of fresh air coming from a WCJ/Lauri/Gafford/Felicio rotation.

Here was our two man combos (NET RTG):
Vuc/Thad - +3.1
Vuc/Lauri - -0.3
Vuc/Theis - -11.2
Vuc/PWill - -8.0

Thad/Lauri - +3.5
Thad/Theis - -20.8

Lauri/Theis - +4.8


Theis was the odd man out. Looking at these numbers, I don't mind a trio of Vuc/Lauri/Thad if we can get another defensive bigman. Also, people who want PWill to start next to Vuc are in for a rude awakening unless PWill has taken a big step forward by next year.

The funny thing is the Lauri/Theis pairing had the highest net rating. That's the combo I would have preferred if we could have traded vuc. But since it seems like Vuc is here to stay...

Sample size and LaVine injury.

[MGB8]

Anyway, Caruso is the Theis of guards... and AK is going to somehow flip Coby White for Brandon Clarke

[PaKii94]

True, but Theis is gone. Taj offers most of the same things as Theis, though not at the same level at this point in his career, and can likely be had for the minimum so I think he would be a great option.

I liked Theis. When I saw his contract with the rockets, I thought the bulls should have at the very least matched it. But I just went to look at the numbers. Theis didn't really play well with our bigs. It just seemed like it because his toughness was a breath of fresh air coming from a WCJ/Lauri/Gafford/Felicio rotation.

Here was our two man combos (NET RTG):
Vuc/Thad - +3.1
Vuc/Lauri - -0.3
Vuc/Theis - -11.2
Vuc/PWill - -8.0

Thad/Lauri - +3.5
Thad/Theis - -20.8

Lauri/Theis - +4.8


Theis was the odd man out. Looking at these numbers, I don't mind a trio of Vuc/Lauri/Thad if we can get another defensive bigman. Also, people who want PWill to start next to Vuc are in for a rude awakening unless PWill has taken a big step forward by next year.

The funny thing is the Lauri/Theis pairing had the highest net rating. That's the combo I would have preferred if we could have traded vuc. But since it seems like Vuc is here to stay...

Sample size and LaVine injury.

I mean all of those experienced roughly the same sample size and lavine's injury

[MrSparkle]

Kinda bummed we missed Rose, but it makes more sense.

This is an overpay; hope he doesn't become our Matt Dellavedova... but he is a very rich man's Arci, and apparently this was done with the Theis TPE? Which is fine with me. We more-so need a 3D guard than a 3D big forward, and have room for one more trick.

It's looking more and more like Lauri is remaining a Bull, unless this last-ditch DeRozan rumor has legs. Pretty obvious that the Spurs wouldn't be his landing spot. Adding him to McDermott and Collins sounds preposterous. But who knows?

[MGB8]

Sample size and LaVine injury.

I mean all of those experienced roughly the same sample size and lavine's injury

Not really. Go look at the game log and when Theis started getting more time with Vuc in the starting unit. Right when Zach went out.

[PaKii94]

Sample size and LaVine injury.

I mean all of those experienced roughly the same sample size and lavine's injury

Not really. Go look at the game log and when Theis started getting more time with Vuc in the starting unit. Right when Zach went out.

If you restrict it to the dates that theis got back, the numbers are similar

[BahamaBull]

Love this move...Caruso will be a fan favorite from day one...very solid player. Man, I love AK...

[dukeespn]

I don't like this contract. This is too much for a 3&D guard who regularly refuses to take open 3s. He can't create for himself since he is a mediocre ball-handler and his passing is not that good. His defense is amazing though.

I'm not sure if he would play well without Lebron-caliber players.

[SaNdMiRkS]

When the Lakers won the chip 2 seasons ago, he came through with timely play after timely play. He'll play some motivated defense and hit a big shot for us every now and then... but does this mean Coby is gone??

...are we *seriously* referring to that glorified summer league tourney that was played in freaking Orlando as a 'chip'...?

there will be no asterisk in the history books. and the lakers weren't trying any harder than anyone else

the lakers havent won anything in over a decade. the last two Finals winners were Tor & Mil.

[DuckIII]

Caruso has been the Ga-RIMEY-est dude in the West for like 3yrs running. I will take him.

That is a bit of an overpay but the dude is a legit professor at the Adrian Griffin School of OG Hustle.

I love this. This team needs to add some attitude. Dude is a gamer. The word was invented for guys like him. And we could use an injection of that.

Great day. I’ve been really hard on AK since the Vuc trade, but he’s getting it done big time.

[Dez]

...are we *seriously* referring to that glorified summer league tourney that was played in freaking Orlando as a 'chip'...?

there will be no asterisk in the history books. and the lakers weren't trying any harder than anyone else

the lakers havent won anything in over a decade. the last two Finals winners were Tor & Mil.

A championship is a championship, the Lakers won the 2020 championship.

Asterisks are stupid.

[Guru]

Added Vuc-Lonzo and Caruso And Donovan. Four rocks. You know what you are getting with these guys. You build with rocks.

[SaNdMiRkS]

Kinda bummed we missed Rose, but it makes more sense.

This is an overpay; hope he doesn't become our Matt Dellavedova... but he is a very rich man's Arci, and apparently this was done with the Theis TPE? Which is fine with me. We more-so need a 3D guard than a 3D big forward, and have room for one more trick.

It's looking more and more like Lauri is remaining a Bull, unless this last-ditch DeRozan rumor has legs. Pretty obvious that the Spurs wouldn't be his landing spot. Adding him to McDermott and Collins sounds preposterous. But who knows?

Me thinks DDR is going to be a Bull ASAP. He's apparently besties with Marc Evs, and there seems to be real smoke here...