Grade the trade: Bucks improve backcourt by trading Bobby Portis in mock deal

The Chicago Bulls' POV

If the Bulls entertain trading Caruso, it's hard to see the Bucks' offer being the best one for them.

Chicago is in a weird spot where they're too good to tank but not good enough to make a playoff run. And, without a real chance to improve the roster, they'll probably do good in collecting assets if they blow it up. So, since Caruso is the kind of player teams really want in a winning environment, it makes no sense to have him on a team that's actively struggling year after year.

By trading him to the Bucks, the Bulls would get Portis, who could become a trade asset in the future, Beauchamp, a young player they could try to develop, and one first-round pick, which they could use to get another young prospect. Assuming they also move on Zach LaVine in this scenario, they would finally become a lottery team and could rebuild after a few years stuck in the middle ground.

The thing is, if Chicago really goes for the rebuild, Caruso is going to be a very coveted player, and the Bucks won't be the only team offering a trade package. So, is this a winning offer? Likely not.

Beauchamp has shown some potential, but he's far from being a guaranteed solid player. The 23rd pick in a supposedly bad draft probably doesn't move the needle, and Portis doesn't really fit on a rebuilding team.

Another first-round pick could make things interesting, as the Bulls could possibly talk themselves into thinking Milwaukee will be a bad team down the line, making that pick extremely valuable. Yet, that is not the proposal here.

This trade could make sense for Chicago in a vacuum, but they wouldn't be getting the true value a player like Caruso could command on the trade market.

Grade for Bulls: D