Grade the trade: Lakers bring back Alex Caruso is new proposal

What a Los Angeles Lakers trade for Alex Caruso would look like:

There is no doubt that Caruso would have trade value if he were to be shopped by the Chicago Bulls. However, the Bulls would be getting more in return for both DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine. There is a chance that Chicago could lump Caruso into either of those trades, but the Lakers should be able to send enough to get a deal done.

The Lakers likely aren’t going to trade a first-round pick for Caruso. As special as Caruso was, and while he is valuable, the Lakers do not have many future picks to send and the team is likely going to save those for a bigger deal in the future.

Instead, the Lakers could trade the player they just selected in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft, Jalen Hood-Schifino. JHS undoubtedly has future potential in this league but at his age, he may not line up with the Lakers’ title window. It would be better for his career to go somewhere where he can actually play.

Cam Reddish would be thrown into the deal simply as salary filler. If Reddish has turned into an indispensable player at this point then the team could package another one of the young fliers (like Jaxson Hayes). As of right now, Reddish is probably the most disposable.

Chicago doesn’t do this trade if the team has any chance of making a run in the playoffs, even if it would be the smartest thing to do. For this to be a possibility, the Bulls have to be out of the playoff picture by the start of February.