Bulls’ Alex Caruso, Patrick Williams garnering ‘trade curiosity’

When it comes to the Bulls and trade rumors the name mentioned most, without a doubt, is guard Zach LaVine.

And if not LaVine, then small forward DeMar DeRozan. And if not those two, then center Nikola Vucevic.

But per Marc Stein of The Stein Line, those may not be the members of the team who are drawing the most outside interest. Instead, that interest could be reserved for guard Alex Caruso and power forward Patrick Williams.

But as we relayed here and Stein confirmed, the Bulls are not yet showing any desire to move Caruso, one of the league’s best backcourt defenders. It’s not been determined if they are looking to move Williams, who has fallen out of a starting role, though Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic suggested they should.

Anyway, Stein wrote that Caruso “would have a double-digit list of trade suitors if the Bulls decided to make him available (which they haven’t).”

Meanwhile, Stein added that Williams still “intrigues various teams despite his extremely underwhelming start to the season after the former No. 4 overall pick and the Bulls did not come to terms on a contract extension before the Oct. 23 deadline for Class of 2020 first-round picks.”

It’s not been determined if anyone has made an actual pitch for Caruso or Williams, but according to Stein, they are the Bulls who are generating “the most November trade curiosity” from opponents.

As for LaVine, well, forget it. At least, it appears that way for now. Chicago may not even bother (or be able) to move him at all, Stein noted.