Grade The Trade: Bucks add defensive menace in this deal with Bulls
By Dalton Sell
The Milwaukee Bucks’ POV on this deal with the Chicago Bulls
Over the last several years, the Bucks have been a defensive-oriented group. In addition to some heroics from Giannis Antetokounmpo, it’s the largest reason they were able to win it all in 2021. Coach Adrian Griffin will likely aim to maintain this team’s defensive brilliance, and adding a piece like Caruso would certainly help in that regard.
Caruso has established himself as one of the best guard defenders in the entire league, and he’s coming off an All-Defensive season in 2022-23. He’s incredibly versatile and can defend several different positions when asked. Having won it all with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, Caruso has proven that he can be a key cog on a championship-winning team.
Adding Caruso next to Jrue Holiday would instantly form the best defensive backcourt in the NBA. These two would be a nightmare matchup for opposing offenses. Having Caruso around to take a difficult assignment here and there would possibly help Holiday’s game offensively, allowing him to focus more on that end. This team desperately needs that, especially in the playoffs.
A small-ball lineup of Caruso, Holiday, Middleton, Crowder/Beauchamp, and Antetokounmpo could be very lethal and help rekindle some of that 2021 magic the team has been lacking ever since.