Knicks looked at Alex Caruso before Thunder Trade; Bulls draft picks offered

The New York Knicks reportedly pursued Alex Caruso before he was traded by the Chicago Bulls on Friday.

According to KC Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, the Knicks and Sacramento Kings both offered “draft capital” in exchange for Caruso before the Bulls ultimately traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder. According to Johnson, both teams felt their trade packages were “superior” to the agreed deal.

Chicago received Josh Giddey, 21, from the Thunder in exchange for the defensive-minded guard, although no draft picks were exchanged in the trade.

Anthony Slater and Sam Amick of The Athletic reported Monday that the Kings were “close” to trading for Caruso and planned to include the No. 13 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft as part of the tradeback.

Although the exact amount of draft capital in New York’s offer is unknown, Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer revealed Friday that the team is “reaching out” to opposing front offices to discuss trades involving center Mitchell Robinson.

It’s not hard to see why playoff contenders such as the Thunder, Knicks and Kings were all interested in the 30-year-old. He has earned All-Defensive grades in each of the last two seasons, averaging 1.6 steals and 0.7 blocks per game since the Bulls signed him as a free agent in 2021.

Caruso also took a big step forward offensively during his 2023-24 campaign, averaging a career-high 10.1 points per game and hitting 40.8 percent of his three-point attempts. He also recorded 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists against just 1.4 turnovers each night.

Interestingly, Chicago did not prefer deals centered around draft picks, as the team appears to be moving forward with a focus on younger players such as 24-year-old Coby White. Although Giddey is only three years into his career, he is also eligible to receive a rookie-level extension this summer.

With the amount of their draft capital remaining the same after Friday’s trade, the Bulls currently own the No. 11 pick in the 2024 draft.