Alex Caruso might garner all the headlines in the NBA Finals, but his former Chicago Bulls teammate is just a cut above him.
The Oklahoma City Thunder added the final piece to their roster this offseason when they traded for Caruso. The veteran two-way guard provides the team with the experience they sorely lacked prior to his arrival.
Landing Caruso wasn’t easy, as the Thunder had to give up bright prospect Josh Giddey in the trade with the Chicago Bulls.
For the most part, the deal has worked out well for both sides. Caruso has bolstered what was an already-great OKC Thunder defense. On the other side, Giddey has become the foundational piece for the Bulls to build around.
But Jeff Teague believes that the Bulls didn’t lose much in the trade, as they already have a player who does everything Caruso does, but better.
Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesJeff Teague claims Lonzo Ball is a better version of Alex Caruso
Jeff Teague was speaking about the 2025 NBA Finals on the latest episode of his ‘Club 520’ podcast. During the conversation with his panel, Teague had an interesting take on Alex Caruso.
Teague compared Caruso’s former teammate, Lonzo Ball, to Tyrese Haliburton before proclaiming that Lonzo is far more similar to Caruso and does the same things better.
“Lonzo is, like the hurt version of Tyrese Haliburton. He plays like Tyrese Haliburton, but really Lonzo is like a better Caruso.
“He can guard one through five, he has never really been a big scorer, he has occasional threes, he gets down in transition, solid defender. It ain’t really no disrespect, Caruso nice though.”
Caruso and Lonzo having similar playing styles might be a result of their two separate stints as teammates. Both players shared a locker room as up-and-comers on the Los Angeles Lakers.
And in 2021, they both signed lucrative contracts to play for the Chicago Bulls. The two made an immediate impact on the franchise, even helping them top the Eastern Conference before injuries derailed their season.
Lonzo Ball’s future with Chicago Bulls unclear after lengthy absence
Lonzo Ball’s injury in 2021 was so severe that it forced him to miss multiple seasons as he tried to recover. This really threw a wrench in the works for the Bulls, who added Lonzo to their roster in the hope of competing.
He made his return to the team after a lengthy spell away this season. And this season, the rust accrued away from the court showed, as he averaged just 7.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game.
However, all hope isn’t lost, as the Bulls re-signed the point guard to a two-year, $20 million deal. Former Bulls star Randy Brown believes Lonzo can be the point guard the Bulls sorely need.
There have been some murmurs about Lonzo potentially being traded to the Mavericks. Curiously, Ball was even advising the Mavericks on how to navigate a possible move for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Could this have been a sign that Ball has read the tea leaves on his future and is setting himself up for a better situation in Dallas? Perhaps. But with all the chaos in the NBA, we’ll have to see what the future holds for Lonzo.