Pass or Play with 5 Golden State Warriors trade targets if Chicago Bulls blow it up

Pass or Play: Alex Caruso

Alex Caruso is a player who has been linked to the Warriors in the past, and for good reason. He is one of the league's best perimeter defenders, a 6'5" cyclone of energy and movement who can lock an opponent up full-court but also excels at defending at the nail or even rotating to the rim as secondary rim protection.

That kind of defensive activity is a perfect fit on the Warriors, and it's likely Caruso would thrive in Golden State. He is shooting a hot 44.8 percent from deep, shooting 60.8 percent from the field overall, and putting up strong rebounding, steal and block numbers. He would be a strong addition to nearly any contending team.

The issue for the Warriors trading for Caruso is that they already have a player who brings nearly everything Caruso does in Gary Payton II. Caruso is a better ball-handler and is shooting better this season, but they are both elite perimeter defenders with excellent instincts and are best deployed in low-usage roles beside other on-ball stars.

It doesn't make sense for the Warriors to move significant assets for Caruso when they have GPII on the roster already. Caruso may be slightly better, but it's not worth the strong first-round pick or multiple picks that the Bulls will likely try to extract for opposing teams. They should let someone else get into the bidding war for Caruso.

Verdict: Pass