Bulls sign Alex Caruso to four-year, $37 million deal originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Chicago Bulls' back court rotation is rounding into form.
Hours after agreeing to a sign-and-trade deal that netted Lonzo Ball, the Bulls agreed to ink ex-Lakers guard Alex Caruso to a four-year, $37 million contract.
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That deal takes up the majority of the Bulls' non-taxpayer mid-level exception for this season, leaving them with the bi-annual exception ($3.7 million), vet minimum slots and trades to fill out the rest of the roster.
Caruso, 27, is a dogged point-of-attack defender, an area in which Bulls guards mightily struggled in 2020-21. He averaged 6.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game last season, his fourth in the NBA and with the Lakers, while shooting 40.1 percent from 3.
With Ryan Arcidiacono's team option declined, Tomáš Satoranský and Garrett Temple departed for New Orleans, and Daniel Theis heading to Houston, the Bulls' roster essentially stands at 11 players with Caruso on board: Zach LaVine, Nikola Vučević, Ball, Patrick Williams, Thad Young, Coby White, Caruso, Troy Brown Jr., Al-Farouq Aminu, and, provided they sign, second-round picks Marko Simonović and Ayo Dosunmu.
Qualifying offers are also out to Lauri Markkanen and Javonte Green. Work on the margins remains.
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