Mavs Trade Proposal Lands Bulls' Alex Caruso

DALLAS — After an active offseason filled with adding talent through the NBA Draft and free agency, the Dallas Mavericks remain motivated to upgrade the roster around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving — at the right price, that is. After a 38-44 record last season, the Mavs’ front office turning up the aggression to achieve roster upgrades was a natural expectation.

With the Mavs selecting a 19-year-old center in Dereck Lively II after trading down two spots in the lottery, some have continued to link them as a potential trade suitor for a veteran at the position. For now, they have Dwight Powell, Richaun Holmes, and Maxi Kleber as additional options to supplement Lively as he develops.

In the event that the Mavs are content with their current center bullpen, one option could be to bolster a unit that ranked 25th in defensive rating at another position. Adding Grant Williams and Olivier-Maxence Prosper will help address the four spot, but more perimeter defense could prove beneficial to add.

With Tim Hardaway Jr. and JaVale McGee still on the roster, the Mavs have some salary matching mechanisms to facilitate a trade of some kind. The team is still limited to only outright trading a 2027 first-round pick, but did add a pair of second-round picks in the sign-and-trade to acquire Williams.

In a hypothetical trade proposal from Bleacher Report, the Mavs would acquire Alex Caruso from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Jaden Hardy, JaVale McGee, and a 2025 second-round pick. The idea for Dallas would be to add one of the most versatile guard defenders in the league.

“Though Caruso is nominally a point guard, he’s capable of checking lead ball-handlers and wings alike,” Grant Hughes wrote. “Case in point: Caruso spent more time matched up with the 6’3″ (on a good day) Donovan Mitchell last year than he did against anyone else. But the 6’8″ Jayson Tatum sits fourth on that same list. Whether taking the tough assignment to spare Kyrie Irving or Luka Doncic, Caruso, No. 1 in defensive estimated plus/minus last season, is up for it.”

Last season, Caruso averaged 5.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 67 games. He's one of the NBA's top guard defenders with his on-ball containment being capable of disrupting some of the most talented offensive players. For a team with two superstars and a need to continue to improve defensively, the appeal on the surface to add Caruso makes sense.

The Bulls' asking price in this scenario would likely too rich for the Mavs to reasonably trade for Caruso, based on where the situation was at before the midseason trade deadline. Keep in mind, Chicago reportedly felt it "could get upward of two first-rounders" in exchange for Caruso at that point when taking trade calls. In this proposal, the Bulls would need to value Hardy very highly in order to accept.

One of the drawbacks of such a trade for Dallas would be parting with Hardy, as he tends to take on a much greater role in the offense when either Doncic or Irving are sidelined. While Seth Curry is now in the fold, Hardy's potential to grow into being a key creator for the Mavs would be tough to replace.

While a player with a skill-set like Caruso's would help, the Mavs would likely target a bigger wing before pursuing another player 6-foot-5 or shorter. The team is said to still be in the market for such a talent, while being linked to names like Kelly Oubre Jr. and Derrick Jones Jr.

Grant Afseth is a Dallas Mavericks reporter for DallasBasketball.com and an NBA reporter for NBA Analysis Network. He previously covered the Indiana Pacers and NBA for CNHI's Kokomo Tribune and various NBA teams for USA TODAY Sports Media Group. Follow him on Twitter (@grantafseth), Facebook (@grantgafseth), and YouTube (@grantafseth).

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