Alex Caruso Labeled As Atlanta Hawks Most "Ambitious Trade Target" For This Summer

Could the Hawks make a big move and land Alex Caruso from the Bulls?

Apr 17, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) defends Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso (6) during the first quarter during a play-in game of the 2024 NBA playoffs at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports / David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Hawks have a lot of questions about their roster heading into the summer and they are likely going to be reshaping it in some way. One of Trae Young or Dejounte Murray seems likely to be traded this summer, Atlanta won the Draft Lottery and now has the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft, and other players such as Bogdan Bogdanovic, Clint Capela, and De'Andre Hunter could be on the move as well. It is likely that Atlanta is going to look like a much different team when the season starts next October.

Whether Atlanta traded Murray or Young, they are going to need to prioritize getting better on defense. Whether it is on the wing, at center, or at guard, Atlanta needs better defenders. One guy that would make a lot of sense, especially next to Young, would be Bulls guard Alex Caruso. Caruso is a fantastic point-of-attack defender and would instantly upgrade the Hawks's perimeter defense and make it less easy for opponents to hunt for Young on defense. Recently, Bleacher Report analyst Grant Hughes listed Caruso as the top "ambitious" trade candidate for the Hawks this offseason:

The Atlanta Hawks seem likely to bust up the Trae Young-Dejounte Murray backcourt, but it's unclear which of the two guards is likeliest to go. If it's Murray who winds up leaving via trade, Atlanta should focus on supporting Young with the best defensive running mate possible.

That sounds like Alex Caruso, an All-Defensive honoree in each of the last two seasons.

Caruso's current team, the Chicago Bulls, already have Coby White in place as their point guard. That means a Murray-for-Caruso swap wouldn't make sense. Atlanta could send Murray to a destination in greater need of his services and reroute some of the assets to the Bulls in a package for the star stopper.

No guard who logged at least 25 games last season posted a higher Defensive Estimated Plus/Minus than Caruso, who rates as one of the rare backcourt players whose impact approaches that of the typically more valuable paint-protecting big man. His ability to disrupt at the point of attack, blow up screening actions and force opposing ball-handlers away from their spots can change the outcome of entire games.

Murray overlapped more than expected with Young, and the Hawks didn't look nearly different enough after adding him at the 2023 trade deadline. Caruso would bring a more fundamental change to Atlanta's makeup, adding an element of predatory defense that simply hasn't been there."

A Caruso trade would be interesting for the Hawks, but I don't know what the Bulls would want or expect to get back. Caruso is on a pretty cheap deal for a player of his caliber, but he is on an expiring deal. In the past, it has been rumored that teams have been interested in trading for Caruso, but the Bulls have been reluctant too so far and have been inclined to be more competitive. Would Caruso want to sign an extension there or wait until he is a free agent? Atlanta should not want to give up too much because he is on an expiring deal, but they are also limited in terms of draft capital. There is not an ideal one-for-one swap for Caruso on the Hawks either. Atlanta should absolutely check in on his availability, but a trade could prove to be difficult.