Alex Caruso may garner all of the headlines within the NBA Finals, however his former Chicago Bulls teammate is only a lower above him.
The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder added the ultimate piece to their roster this offseason once they traded for Caruso. The veteran two-way guard gives the workforce with the expertise they sorely lacked previous to his arrival.
Touchdown Caruso wasn’t simple, because the Thunder had to surrender vibrant prospect Josh Giddey within the commerce with the Chicago Bulls.
For probably the most half, the deal has labored out properly for each side. Caruso has bolstered what was an already-great OKC Thunder protection. On the opposite aspect, Giddey has turn into the foundational piece for the Bulls to construct round.
However Jeff Teague believes that the Bulls didn’t lose a lot within the commerce, as they have already got a participant who does the whole lot Caruso does, however higher.
Jeff Teague was talking in regards to the 2025 NBA Finals on the newest episode of his ‘Membership 520’ podcast. In the course of the dialog together with his panel, Teague had an fascinating tackle Alex Caruso.
Teague in contrast Caruso’s former teammate, Lonzo Ball, to Tyrese Haliburton earlier than proclaiming that Lonzo is much extra much like Caruso and does the identical issues higher.
“Lonzo is, just like the harm model of Tyrese Haliburton. He performs like Tyrese Haliburton, however actually Lonzo is sort of a higher Caruso.
“He can guard one via 5, he has by no means actually been an enormous scorer, he has occasional threes, he will get down in transition, stable defender. It ain’t actually no disrespect, Caruso good although.”
Caruso and Lonzo having comparable enjoying types could be a results of their two separate stints as teammates. Each gamers shared a locker room as up-and-comers on the Los Angeles Lakers.
And in 2021, they each signed profitable contracts to play for the Chicago Bulls. The 2 made an instantaneous influence on the franchise, even serving to them high the Japanese Convention earlier than accidents derailed their season.
Lonzo Ball’s harm in 2021 was so extreme that it pressured him to overlook a number of seasons as he tried to get better. This actually threw a wrench within the works for the Bulls, who added Lonzo to their roster within the hope of competing.
He made his return to the workforce after a prolonged spell away this season. And this season, the rust accrued away from the courtroom confirmed, as he averaged simply 7.6 factors, 3.4 rebounds, and three.3 assists per recreation.
Nevertheless, all hope isn’t misplaced, because the Bulls re-signed the purpose guard to a two-year, $20 million deal. Former Bulls star Randy Brown believes Lonzo could be the purpose guard the Bulls sorely want.
There have been some murmurs about Lonzo doubtlessly being traded to the Mavericks. Curiously, Ball was even advising the Mavericks on how one can navigate a potential transfer for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Might this have been an indication that Ball has learn the tea leaves on his future and is setting himself up for a greater state of affairs in Dallas? Maybe. However with all of the chaos within the NBA, we’ll need to see what the long run holds for Lonzo.
