NBA Mock Trade: Bulls Send Alex Caruso Back to Oklahoma City

With the NBA trade deadline nearing, the Thunder could be in position to out-bid others and help defensive stalwart Alex Caruso back to OKC.

Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso has long been a coveted player on the NBA trade market.

Despite an injury-riddled last few seasons, the 6-foot-5 guard still offers patented, stingy defense mixed with high-level perimeter shooting and a dash of playmaking that nearly every contending team needs.

With the Bulls potentially having a fire sale at the trade deadline, there are sure to be teams lining up and bidding for Caruso’s talents. And one of those could be the team with a war chest of assets: the Oklahoma City Thunder.

While Caruso has never played for the Thunder, he has spent time playing basketball in Oklahoma City.

After going undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft, Caruso spent the Summer League with the Philadelphia 76ers, and actually signed with the Thunder before being waived in mid-October. In early November, he was acquired by the Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder’s then-D League team.

In 50 games with the Blue that season, Caruso averaged 11.9 points, 5.2 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game, never quite earning his way onto the Thunder, but still providing his patented defense. He went on to the join the Lakers for the 2017 Summer League, the rest being history, as he was a mainstay on the Lakers 2020 NBA Finals-winning squad.

Despite never having played for the Thunder, general manager Sam Presti and his team have always been fastidious in their approach to having well-rounded players and even better people in their organization. And having had Caruso on their developmental team, even a few years ago, points to the fact they value what he brings to the table.

That context, mixed with the fact the Thunder will be able to out-bid near any other team for his talents, makes a Caruso return to OKC interesting.

Let’s take a look at what a mock trade for the Chicago guard might actually look like:

Oklahoma City receives: Alex Caruso

Chicago receives: Vasilije Micic, 2026 Rockets FRP, 2027 Nuggets FRP, 2024 Rockets SRP

Caruso’s current deal — just $9.4 million and $9.8 million for this season and next — is extremely valuable, and trade-able, within the NBA market. Trading for him at the deadline gives you one-and-a-half seasons worth of All-Defense-level output. And the shot at re-signing the 29-year-old for the foreseeable future.

In the Thunder’s case, they would be able to send a player-for-player swap in the form of guard Vasilije Micic, who’s slowly working his way into the team’s rotation. Even with the emergence of Coby White, the Bulls could use a true point guard on their roster, and have shown interest in Micic before.

The selling point here for Chicago, though, is the two first round selections, both of which could show real value in their respective drafts. If the Bulls didn't feel like waiting around, the picks could be ammo to repurpose on the trade market to shake up their middling roster.

The 2026 Rockets first is exceptionally valuable, being just top-four protected. And while the Nuggets are the defending champions, there’s no telling what their roster could look like in 2027.

If this offer isn't enough to land Caruso, OKC could always up the ante with more draft picks. Or they could throw in a younger, up-and-coming prospect.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Inside the Thunder on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.