3 Players the Heat might replace Kyle Lowry with by the trade deadline
By Will Salinas
Alex Caruso, Chicago Bulls
Alex Caruso is the first option that the Heat should be eyeing should the Chicago Bulls have a fire sale. Caruso is 29 years old has two years left on his deal and is only making $9.4 million a year. He made the All-NBA Defensive First Team last year alongside Jrue Holiday.
Caruso's pesky defense and endless hustle is a match made in heaven for Erik Spoelstra, as Spoesltra could throw out a starting lineup of Herro, Caruso, Jimmy Butler, Haywood Highsmith, and Bam Adebayo. That would be a monstrous defensive unit with Herro as the only "weak link" even though Herro has shown major improvement on that end.
Offensively, there are some answers along with some more questions. Will Caruso fit offensively? The answer is an astounding yes. He's an active off-the-ball cutter and ball screener at guard, can put the ball on the floor and take it to the rim, and as far as spacing goes, he's having a great season outside the arc, shooting 44% from 3 on nearly three attempts a game.
The biggest question that has yet to be answered: Can Tyler Herro handle the responsibilities as the main ball-handler? With Caruso inserted you're giving Herro the keys to the offense, and whether it leads to a successful outcome, that has yet to be seen. This isn't a case of can Herro do it, but instead would be a situation where Herro is asked to create more for others than himself, which takes away from what he does best, which is score the ball.
Caruso would be an amazing fit as he can play both sides of the ball, fits the "Heat Culture" persona, and has helped contribute to a championship on the 2020 Los Angeles Lakers. It'll probably come down to two things for the Heat. Are the Bulls sellers at the deadline, and can Miami strike a deal that works for both sides?