NBA Trade Rumors: Warriors Eyed Bulls' Alex Caruso Before Zach LaVine's Surgery News

The rest of the NBA, including the Golden State Warriors, might be paying attention to the Chicago Bulls ahead of Thursday's trade deadline, especially after they announced Zach LaVine will miss the rest of the season because he needs surgery on his right foot.

K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago reported the Warriors were among the teams that "inquired" about Alex Caruso's availability before the LaVine news was revealed Saturday.

Johnson noted Chicago previously "rebuffed interest in Caruso because an internal focus centered on chasing a playoff spot," but head coach Billy Donovan granted that it's too early to evaluate whether LaVine being out for the rest of the season will change that approach.

It would make sense if it did.

The Bulls are 23-27 and not a serious championship contender even if LaVine is in the lineup. DeMar DeRozan is playing on the final season of his contract, and some type of roster reset with an eye on the future could be in order.

Caruso's value likely won't get much higher than it is now considering he is one of the league's best perimeter defenders who is shooting 40.5 percent from deep this season. His presence on a team like Golden State would take some of the defensive responsibilities off the shoulders of Stephen Curry and provide another outside shooting presence.

It could also provide a spark for a Warriors team that has dealt with inconsistency all season on the way to a 21-25 record.

If the Bulls could get multiple draft picks or young building blocks for Caruso, it might be time to make a deal.