Chicago Bulls will not trade DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso this week

The two standouts are expected to stay put in Chicago this week.

© Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

By now, the calls for the Chicago Bulls to do something at this year’s trade deadline may be too deafening to ignore. With a 23-27 record, it’s clear that this Bulls squad’s ceiling is nowhere near championship-contending. 

While fans and experts are clamoring for the team’s front office to make a move, especially in the wake of Zach LaVine’s season-ending surgery, one well-respected insider reported that the Bulls may not move its two best trade assets—DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso.

Not actively looking to trade DeRozan and Caruso

According to ESPN insider Brian Windhorst, the information he’s gotten so far indicates the Bulls aren’t keen on moving DeRozan and Caruso to other teams this season.

"The intel in the league right now... is that despite the LaVine injury, the Bulls are not actively looking to trade those guys. ... There is not an expectation that DeRozan is gonna get traded, and I have heard '0.0' on Caruso," Windhorst said.

There’s a lot of buzz surrounding DeRozan, who’s playing in the final year of a three-year pact he signed in 2021. Though already 34 years old, Deebo remains an elite scorer and playmaker, averaging 22.0 points and 5.4 assists this season. Talks between DeRozan’s representatives and the Bulls regarding a contract extension have remained mum, and the team could lose him for nothing this offseason if he decides to test free agency.

However, the Bulls may not be willing to part with DeRozan. With a newfound chemistry, they may see him as a key piece for their future success. His veteran presence and leadership have also been invaluable to the team's young core.

"DeMar DeRozan, his future, either he's going to get traded at this deadline, or they're going to look into the summer...Or DeMar DeRozan could walk for nothing."@ShamsCharania updates on the Chicago Bulls.

📺: https://t.co/qYBPWhYgh7 pic.twitter.com/ifuiPNdoAH

— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) February 5, 2024

A coveted player

Meanwhile, Caruso is one of the NBA’s most coveted players due to his ability to impact the game in various ways. Though his most prized ability is defense—Caruso made the All-Defensive First Team last season—he has also improved his scoring and playmaking this season.

However, Windhorst claimed that one reason that might motivate the Bulls from blowing their roster up is that the other teams below them in the team standings are just as shaky as they are.

Scottie Barnes has a 2” and 51 pound advantage in this matchup.

But Alex Caruso is one of the greatest defenders to ever lace em up. pic.twitter.com/QnhSP2u4WT

— Hoop Informatics (@HoopInformatics) January 31, 2024

This gives the Bulls a fighting chance at securing a spot in the playoffs and potentially even advancing past the first round. And with Caruso's impressive play on both ends of the court, he could be a key factor in leading the Bulls to postseason success.

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