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Minnesota outbid the Lakers for Alex Caruso too

HoopsHype
·9 min read
2

Nonetheless, several non-taxpaying teams outbid the Lakers, including the Minnesota Timberwolves. But Chicago not only offered a bigger payday for Caruso, but also a roster that showed it was serious about building a contender. He told his assembled family that he and his agent were going to take that offer back to the Lakers, but that if they couldn’t match, he was likely bound for Chicago.
Source: Bill Oram @ The Athletic

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Kamenetzky Brothers @KamBrothers
Monday’s @LockedOnLakers podcast! We break down Sunday’s win over San Antonio, fueled by Anthony Davis and the return of Talen Horton-Tucker! (Speaking of returns, Alex Caruso makes his tonight.) #FirstListen @LockedOnNBAPods @LockedOnNetwork
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ant… – 10:26 AM

Darnell Mayberry @DarnellMayberry
Bulls bag impressive win at Clippers with Alex Caruso cracking the starting lineup and DeMar DeRozan providing the offense in an emotional homecoming.
via @TheAthletic theathletic.com/2956302/2021/1… – 9:32 AM

Stephen Noh @StephNoh
Alex Caruso, starting for the Bulls pic.twitter.com/JvHKfdmMi2 – 8:36 AM

KC Johnson @KCJHoop
“Didn’t make any shots and you still want to talk to me?”
How Alex Caruso’s grit and DeMar DeRozan’s emotion powered the reslient Bulls.
For @NBCSChicago: nbcsports.com/chicago/bulls/… – 1:30 AM

Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Alex Caruso on facing the Lakers for the first time since signing with the Bulls as a free agent pic.twitter.com/PTCyPtCNkG – 12:37 AM

Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Alex Caruso on guarding Paul George pic.twitter.com/QR57oBk3ui – 12:32 AM

Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
DeMar DeRozan on Alex Caruso: “He’s one of the highest IQ players I’ve played with since I’ve been in the game. Just to have somebody with that natural IQ out there on the court, it’s going to make things so much easier for you offensively and defensively.” – 12:27 AM

KC Johnson @KCJHoop
DeMar DeRozan on Alex Caruso: “He’s one of the highest IQ players I’ve played with since I’ve been in the game.” – 12:16 AM

Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
Asked about the decision to start Alex Caruso, Billy Donovan cited Caruso’s ability to space the floor and playmake alongside the starters, and being able to use Javonte Green’s energy off the bench, as contributing factors – 12:11 AM

KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Billy Donovan said he started Caruso to help with spacing and wanted to try Green’s switching ability and athleticism paired with Jones Jr. off bench. – 12:10 AM

Darnell Mayberry @DarnellMayberry
Final: Bulls 100, Clippers 90.
DeMar DeRozan: 33/8/5
Zach LaVine: 29/7/2
Alex Caruso: 7/9/5/3
The Bulls are now 9-4. – 11:52 PM

Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Impressive win for the Bulls in LA over the Clippers. Billy Donovan goes super small down the stretch with Javonte Green at center, which is a look I’d like to see them try some even after Nik Vucevic comes back. Alex Caruso and Lonzo Ball continue to be terrific defensively. – 11:51 PM

KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Bulls 100, Clippers 90
DeRozan 35 pts; 12-16 FGs, 10-11 FTs; 7 rebs; 5 assts
LaVine 29 pts; 6-13 from 3
Caruso 7 pts, 8 rebs, 5 assts
Clippers shot 35.8% with 20 TOs – 11:51 PM

Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
I remember genuinely thinking the Lakers could get DeMar DeRozan with the mid-level exception and getting excited about how well he’d fit in lineups with Caruso and… umm… ugh. – 11:33 PM

Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Your typical MVPG start to 4th:
– 2 FTs
– Rebound after Caruso miss
– Assist to Mann 3
– Middy through contact – 11:29 PM

John Hollinger @johnhollinger
Man, tough crowd — MVP chants for Paul George in Staples Center, when Alex Caruso is standing *right there.* – 11:26 PM

KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Derrick Jones Jr. is 3rd Bull to lose a shoe today. Caruso and DeRozan also blew a tire. – 11:15 PM

The Vertical @YahooSportsNBA
Caruso ➡️ LaVine 🔥
(via @Chicago Bulls)
pic.twitter.com/AcSJFv4YfI – 11:07 PM

Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Alex Caruso’s primary assignment tonight has been Paul George, but now he’s in foul trouble. He’s out, Troy Brown Jr. is in, and we’ll see if George finds some more efficient offense. – 11:02 PM

KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Troy Brown Jr. in for Caruso and his 4 fouls. – 11:01 PM

Andrew Greif @AndrewGreif
Someone behind the Clippers bench has what appears to be a sheet with “ALEX CARUSO IS THE GOAT WILL TRADE NFT FOR HEADBAND” on it. – 10:59 PM

Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
Alex Caruso up to four fouls at 7:23 mark of third quarter – 10:59 PM

Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Alex Caruso and Zach LaVine teaming up for a hell of a highlight reel – 10:55 PM

John Hollinger @johnhollinger
Ball and Caruso just out here trolling the Laker fans now. – 10:26 PM

Joe Cowley @JCowleyHoops
Alex Caruso talks LA, what this homecoming means for him, and who on the team would win “Squid Games.”
Read it:
chicago.suntimes.com/bulls/2021/11/… – 10:21 PM

John Hollinger @johnhollinger
Bledsoe takes the hand off up the middle and runs over Caruso for a short gain. – 10:07 PM

Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
Alex Caruso begins the game guarding Paul George – 9:43 PM

Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Before Clippers-Bulls game, Alex Caruso and DeMar DeRozan getting a very warm reception during starting lineup intros. DeRozan grew up here as an LA native. Caruso grew up here as an increasingly valuable NBA player – 9:39 PM

Sean Deveney @SeanDeveney
The @Chicago Bulls list Alex Caruso as the starting PF tonight. Caruso’s career position estimates from @Basketball-Reference pic.twitter.com/WYSTy35dhV – 9:29 PM

Mirjam Swanson @MirjamSwanson
Clips vs. da Bulls
LAC
Paul George
Nicolas Batum
Ivica Zubac
Eric Bledsoe
Reggie Jackson
CHI
DeMar DeRozan
Alex Caruso
Tony Bradley
Zach LaVine
Lonzo Ball – 9:03 PM

John Hollinger @johnhollinger
Last stop of the west coast tour, Game 8 in 7 days – Clippers vs. Bulls. Alex Caruso out here working on pull up 3s.
(Also – would be an amazing troll move if Clips did a tribute video for Caruso. ) pic.twitter.com/SvBsqKfVSG – 8:14 PM

Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Anthony Davis on Alex Caruso: “It’s going to be fun and exciting to play against AC and try to get the win.” – 7:01 PM

Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Anthony Davis on playing Alex Caruso tmw: “Who? I don’t know that guy (laughs).” – 7:00 PM

Ryan Ward @RyanWardLA
Tough one up next for LA with some former Lakers coming to town.
Alex Caruso, Lonzo Ball and the Bulls (8-4) will try to take down LAL in the second game of a back-to-back for AD and company on Monday night at Staples Center. – 5:53 PM

Jovan Buha @jovanbuha
Final: Lakers 114, Spurs 106
The Lakers improve to 8-6. Anthony Davis had 34 points, 15 rebounds and 6 assists in arguably his best performance of the season. Stellar season debut from THT. Solid play from Ellington & Monk off the bench.
Up next: Alex Caruso’s return tomorrow. – 5:46 PM

John Hollinger @johnhollinger
“MVP” chants as Anthony Davis finishes with 34-15-6, even though the real MVP (Alex Caruso) won’t take floor here for a few more hours.
Lakers beat Spurs 114-106. Big lift from THT’s return (17), good games from Monk and Ellington (31 combined) – 5:46 PM

More on this storyline

Here was Caruso’s description of the events that led him to Chicago (emphasis mine, lightly edited for length and clarity): “So going into (free agency), I really didn’t know what to expect, and I really didn’t hear much from any team — including the Lakers — leading up to 6 p.m., and then they called, and the Lakers made their offer. It wasn’t an offer I was going to accept because I was going to be able to get considerably more money from another team. “There was talk with a bunch of different people about the mid-level, which I think was four (years), $40 million. We never got anybody to that actual number, but there were a couple teams that got close. And then my agent texted me and said ‘hey, Chicago is interested in signing you.’ I didn’t know that financially it was going to be able to work. I thought that once Zo (Lonzo Ball) signed with Chicago, I was like ‘OK, so Chicago is off the list.’ -via Silverscreenandroll.com / November 10, 2021

“I got on the phone with (Bulls GM Artūras Karnišovas) and with (head coach Billy Donovan), and the way they were just talking about how they wanted to play and how they saw me as a player, I thought they hit the nail on the head. I thought everything they said, I was like ‘I think that’s accurate, I think that’s what I bring to the table, I think that’s how I can help the team win, I think that’s the direction this team wants to go.’ I thought there was a need for the stuff that I had. “Essentially we got that offer, went back to L.A., asked if they could do the same, they said ‘no.’ Asked for something else that was a little less, they said ‘no.’ So I said ‘OK, if that’s what it comes to, I’m ready to go to Chicago and start the next chapter.’ It’s been great. I think it’s been a great decision for me.” -via Silverscreenandroll.com / November 10, 2021

In the wake of my report about the Lakers not countering Alex Caruso’s four-year, $37 million offer from Chicago in free agency, a source with knowledge of the negotiations strongly refuted the inference that he wasn’t wanted back. That doesn’t change the fact that Caruso’s side claimed to be confused about the communication element of the negotiation, but it seems the Lakers’ calculus was similar to the one Milwaukee faced with P.J. Tucker. -via The Athletic / August 16, 2021