Just a few days away from free agency, the Bulls have already started moving the pieces, hoping to keep DeMar DeRozan in Chicago. With Deebo’s expiring contract, there have been speculations that he might sign with the Lakers this summer to play in his hometown of LA. But Arturas Karnisovas’ latest deal with Thunder GM Sam Presti, which will see star guard Alex Caruso moving to OKC in exchange for Josh Giddey, could be the Bulls’ first step to stop DeRozan’s dream move.

Karnisovas reportedly wishes to keep DeMar in Chicago even though his $81.9 million contract has come to an end. Because of the financial restrictions in their current situation, that would only be possible with the team entering a luxury tax bracket. But with the latest Caruso trade, Arturas will be able to open up some cap space. Entering the final year of his $36.9 million contract, Alex would have been eligible for a massive $78.8 million extension next month. However, Karnisovas has to no longer worry about this situation. That’s because Caruso’s future is now Sam Presti’s concern, as per Adrian Wojnarowski.

Meanwhile, Giddey is only owed over 8 million next year, which is less than what Caruso would have made in Chicago. This surely gives the Bulls some more room to work towards retaining DeMar. However, this bargain of giving up Caruso is a big loss for the Bulls as he was their only player with Championship experience. His two-way presence, especially his defensive prowess, is now a void on-court as Giddey does not bring that to the table. Just this season, AC averaged over 10 points, along with nearly 2 steals and 1 block.

Zach LaVine trade on the cards?

“Everything is on the table,” Karnisovas made it clear in April, their current roster has not worked well together. That made every player’s future with the team doubtful. And the Bulls desperately want to get rid of Zach LaVine’s $215 million contract. They can use that money to bring in more assets or keep the current ones with better deals. With 3 years still left on his contract, Karnisovas tried to part ways with LaVine during the mid-season trade deadline but failed. Every team had their eyes on Caruso and DeRozan.

He is reportedly getting more desperate and he has already sent out proposals to half the teams (15) in the league. The Kings, Magic, and Sixers might be on top of the list of his preferred destinations as they have the cap space to absorb LaVine’s massive contract. Although he is a 2-time All-Star, teams aren’t interested in acquiring him at such a high price because he might not be the superstar they want. Averaging 19.5 points this season and shooting nearly 35% from three-point range, Zach’s contract is a bit overvalued.

Moreover, teams do not want someone who has been dealing with injuries tending to miss parts of the season. But with Karnisovas floating so many proposals, there is a chance that he finally trades LaVine, giving him the cap space to make DeMar DeRozan an offer he desires. That will surely crush Laker Nation’s hopes of adding Deebo as their third superstar alongside LeBron and AD.

Before you go, do not forget to check out what Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato has to say about Caitlin Clark’s meteoric rise to stardom. Keep checking this space for more such updates.