JANUARY 24: Caruso underwent surgery on Monday morning and “everything went well,” according to coach Billy Donovan, Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago tweets.
JANUARY 22: Bulls guard Alex Caruso will undergo surgery for a fractured wrist, the team announced on social media (Twitter link). He’ll be re-evaluated in six-to-eight weeks.
Caruso suffered the injury in Chicago’s 94-90 loss to Milwaukee on Friday, getting hit by Bucks guard Grayson Allen on a fast break drive. Allen was issued a Flagrant 2 foul on the play and was ejected.
“For Alex to be in the air like that and for him to take him down like that, it could’ve ended his career,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said as part of a larger quote, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link). Donovan also noted that Allen “has a history of this.”
In addition to Donovan’s comments, the Bulls have also privately expressed outrage to the league office over the play, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter). There’s no word on whether Allen could be suspended for the foul.
Caruso has averaged 8.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game this season and is one of Chicago’s best defenders. The Bulls are already missing several players due to injuries, including Zach LaVine (knee), Lonzo Ball (knee), Patrick Williams (wrist), Javonte Green (adductor) and Derrick Jones Jr. (knee).
:(
Lakers are the smartest
They don’t want to pay him
You’re logic is undeniable.
Yeah, Caruso has been out a lot this season. But there is no way the Lakers are better off for not spending that money on him. Statistically a top-10 3-and-D guy in the league.
Instead they’re paying guys on Medicare to miss half the season, and Westbrook to shoot bricks and get benched. Great strategy.
If this is the result of what Grayson Allen did, he should be suspended. I did not see the play live, but based on the story and still photo it was a garbage play by him. Seems he hasn’t completely outgrown his old ways. Figures this happens a couple days after me saying ‘I think hes finally grown up, he’s almost kinda likeable now.’
Grayson’s day will come soon
Players around the league note these things
He’s going to catch one on the chin someday soon and we can all rejoice. Only Q I have is will his teammates back this punk up when it goes down
Grayson has established himself in NBA and is a solid rotation player. It’s unfortunate what happened on that play but this is the first time getting ejected for Grayson. He should just go out of his way to apologize to Caruso and Bulls asap.
He was SMILING as he left the arena. Bulls play Bucks 3 more times this year, and all I can say is he better hope he doesn’t play in those games. He deserves a taste of his own. This is the same b.s. that thug Mitch Robinson pulled on both Patrick Williams AND Lonzo, ending Pat’s season.
League needs to start giving out suspensions that equate to as long as injured players are out, without pay, otherwise this behavior is being rewarded.
Smiling doesnt mean anything. You cant assume anything by that. I’m sure he’s feeling terrible that Caruso is out.
He has a history of egregious dirty plays going back to college. Just what makes you think he’s turned a new leaf? That he had been on his best behavior since he got into the league to this point? Please.
Folks who are wired like that are unlikely to change. It has nothing to do with age, immaturity, or a lack of experience. Plenty of young players in the league have never pulled the stunts he has.
Frankly, I don’t care if he’s a rotation player or not. The league would be better off without such trash.
So I looked at the play after all the comments. Yes it was a dirty play. First hit was Ok but the second hit was to push him hard to the ground. No doubt about it. If you have played basketball on any team level you know the second hit was on purpose. He should be suspended for the same amount of time Caruso is out to send a message to players playing bully ball.
Michol, what color is the sky in your world?
It’s his first time getting ejected from a game in nba. FIRST time. C’mon…. Yes, he had couple “tripping” incidents, and he learned from it. He will get suspended for the play, but let’s not go overboard because he is a white player from Duke who wont back down. He is a solid established player.
What does the color of his skin have to do with the play? The kid is an idiot, which I last checked isn’t discriminatory.
How does one “learn” from tripping incidents? That’s laughable. What, did he find God afterwards? Those were bush league stunts intended to hurt opposing players. All he learned was that he got caught and in trouble.
What he will learn from a measly one-game suspension is that he can continue to play dirty and overly aggressive and get away with it. And that he just needs to be a little bit subtle about it to be able to cry plausible deniability. Do you think he’s dumb enough to make his dirty play too obvious to the league? Of course not.
And you just had to bring race into it, didn’t you?
It was shortly after he clearly showed frustration towards either the Bulls or the refs I couldn’t really 100% tell, so I won’t speculate..
But, as Caruso was getting checked out and heading to the bench, Allen was grinning like a jacka$$, which, if he had any respect, you just simply wouldn’t do when a player is hurt like that. It’s just a bad look, but he clearly didn’t care one bit whatsoever..
The initial foul wasn’t all that bad, it just so happened Caruso was in the air, but the Allen also came down with his other hand unnecessarily and followed through towards the ground purposely. It was clear and obvious, the follow-through was on purpose, and there is no debating that.
Allen should he suspended at least 5 games for this type of childish, seemingly privileged bs. He deserves to he out for as long as Caruso is out, but that would never happen..He also deserves his little pompous a$$ put in his place, and if he keeps it up I can assure you some team’s version of Udonis Haslem is going to give him a foul he will never forget..
Have you seen him in college? He’s legendary for this type of play.
I think a better term is “notorious,” not “legendary.” It’s the difference between a negative and positive connotation.
If you watch the play, the first part of the foul was just a hard foul, but then he wound up and hammered Caruso with his other arm in mid-air and raked him to the ground. I’ve seen people argue that it’s simply a hard-nosed foul and not a dirty play, but I disagree, especially considering Allen’s history. Makes me wish this were the early 90s again. Guys like Charles Oakley or Dale Davis would have put Allen in his place long ago.
I’m surprised he hasn’t gotten his ass kicked yet. It’s long overdue.
It doesn’t matter what injury a guy got.
I don’t think Allen intended to hurt Caruso, but it was reckless. He didn’t grab Caruso, but his second swing caused the fall to be more violent. I do think injuries following flagrant fouls should be reviewed. Malice vs reckless.
BS he did intend, he was smiling as he left the arena. He should be suspended until Caruso is able to play again.
Only a child would think that would ever happen
The initial foul was reckless, the follow-through was pure frustration and done with intent because he was getting guarded tough and having a hard time..
He didn’t like how he was getting defended, and was upset things weren’t going his way…And that play was the result..
If you watched the game, you instantly knew his follow-through came out of frustration like a b..
it’s a direct result of the dirty play by Allen. He should be fined and suspended for his actions. even smirking and laughing as he was walking to the locker room after his ejection
It would be a real shame if Tony Bradley ended Khris Middleton’s season when they meet again on March 4th…a real shame…
Really, why Middleton? Why wouldn’t he retaliate against Allen? If they start doing retaliations where does it stop? A buck takes DeRozan.
Exactly why Grayson should be kicked out permanently. Or, is it only ok if you are the first, not the retaliator?
It would also be a real shame if you choked on a hot dog.
Middleton? Why him? Was he involved, or is this just 1 of those ‘1 of their guys hurt 1 of our guys, let’s not go after the 1 who did it, let’s go after a more pivotal guy’ bullspit?
Cuz that’s a lousy mindset to have.
Cuz Middleton said it was a “good hard foul” and that he was “disappointed seeing him ejected for that foul.” So maybe the Bulls will have a “good hard foul” for him since he was so enthusiastic about it.
By that logic the Packers should have ended Russell Wilson’s career after that smug punk said the fail Mary call by the replacement refs was a good call.
I’m not excusing what Middleton said, but perhaps he didn’t see the whole thing, and, unfortunately Allen is his teammate so it’s kinda tough for him to say ‘yeah, Grayson has a history of this kind of thing, he’s a dirt bag, and the league should suspend him the rest of the season.’
That wouldn’t be the logic at all though. The enablers need to stop enabling Grayson Allen. This isn’t about the refs, this is about his teammate, who the whole basketball world knows is a pos. But I hear you–he’s not gonna blast his teammate in public even though he deserves it. Just frustrating because Caruso means a lot more to his team than Grayson does–the Bulls really need him with Lonzo, Lavine, Javonte, Derrick Jones Jr., and PWill out. Grayson can headhunt cuz him getting suspended or retaliated against is no deterrent whatsoever.
Caruso is a bench player in a good team & Allen is a starter in the world champs… so, yes surely AC means more to his team, right? SMH!!!
Lmao Grayson Allen wasn’t even on the team that won the title. Donte Divencenzo, who actually started on that team, could step in and replace him much more easily than the Bulls (without Lonzo, Javonte, DJJ, etc.) can replace Caruso. So literally yes. Thanks for trying though.
El don : bucks was nba champs last season when grayson wasnt bucks player.and he became bucks starter bcoz donte injured.and he known as one of dirties player in nba. i take carusow over grayson anyday
But he had the choice to say, “I didn’t see it”, instead he praised it. He should expect to receive the same, and I believe he will. This is the 2nd Bulls player out fir the season on this kind of play. If it is going to be tolerated, I believe the Bulls need to get an enforcer to invoke the Connery Rule.
My point is that he probably saw 1 angle of the play, most likely as it happened, and that’s what his comment was referring to. And prior to the diagnosis of the fracture. Meanwhile fans have seen multiple angles in addition to now knowing the extent of the injury.
Kris Middleton seems like the last guy who would openly support dirty, injury-causing plays or players.
Tom : midleton and allen.let bradley and tbj do that
So you want harm to come to others as revenge and you think he’s bad?
I doubt Allen meant to hurt him but it was unnecessarily dirty. The kid has a history of doing things the wrong way. If the league doesn’t teach him a lesson I’m guessing the 12th guy on the bench may need to.
I take it back. I just watched the play again. The first contact was normal. It was the second swing with his right arm that was completely unnecessary. He deserves something bad
A history from more than four years ago. So you’re fine with dirty play if it’s for revenge?
Grayson Allen is a solid 3 and D guy. I like his hustle. Every team needs a guy like that.
People constantly complain about the lack of “physicality” in todays’ NBA but when it actually happens, you people cry foul.
It happens.
Ok so you saw the actual play?
No this doesn’t happen…And dirty egregious fouls like that have no place in basketball..
There’s a big difference in hustle plays and then purposely knocking a player to the ground when they’re airborne..Especially when it is solely done because you’re frustrated things aren’t going your way offensively..
Come on now…I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, and say you didn’t watch the game..If you did, your comment is just as ignorant as Allen’s actions..
There was nothing “tough” about it, it was a punk move done by someone with a history of being a whiny little beeyotch..If thats the player you chose to support, that just speaks volumes of your own character..
Lol my “character”? Why are you taking it personally? Are you related to Caruso or something?
I like tough players like Allen who are not afraid go out there. I did see the play and he got a flagrant 2 foul. Nothing to see here.
He’s a solid player and fits his role nicely.
Tough player? I suppose you must commit flagrant 2’s to be a tough player.
I’d buy that regarding any other player, but him.
This was not a ‘hustle’ play. It was a mugging.
I’m surprised no one’s dropped him yet.
Fact is he’s got a history of bad plays. That was dirty plain and simple. You can’t hit a guy in the air like that. He grabbed his arm and pulled Caruso while he was in the air. Definitely flagrant he should be suspended. Time to let guys in air go. Unless you can block his shot. Make a play on ball Not his body. ……. Watch it >>>>>
link to youtu.be
I agree completely. While Caruso was on the ground Allen was seen laughing and smiling. So the intent was clear. Retaliating isn’t an answer, just another problem.
If he had a history this would’ve happened multiple times in his four year league career. But it hasn’t other than one summer league game
Grayshit allen is clown.dirtiest player in nba.hate him since his rookie…
I thought Allen had actually turned a corner and grew up, but clearly his true colors came out yet again.
Revenge is never a journey with a happy ending, but the guy deserves a reality check..
I think it’s more that he knows he can’t do anything as obvious as tripping anymore. So now his dirty plays are a little more subtle than that.
Speaking of tripping, I honestly can’t think of a more dirty play than that since a) he did it multiple times, b) it was obviously premeditated and not a heat-of-the-moment/bang bang type of thing and c) the risk of injury on a bad, unexpected fall is significant.
I wish the league would just ban him; after all, he’s not LeBron. Better yet, they should’ve barred him from the NBA draft to begin with.
Only the follow thru with his right arm was the fragrant act. We’ve seen much worse over the years.
I agree, we have seen worse. Rudy Tomjanovich can attest to that. Still, does that make it ok, and if so, why shouldn’t the Bulls respond in kind next game?
Its only because Caruso was injured that anyone is paying attention. If you saw Raptors/Heat this week, Caleb Martin not only wound up & clobbered Scottie, he then pushed him into the crowd.
Remember this league is also full of fake tough guys … the days of the malice in the palace passed long ago.
I think maybe the fact that he’s the 2nd guy to seriously injure a Bulls player with a flagrant foul might be sparking some unrest, Especially since the first guy got off free.
Way she goes boys, way she goes. Going to be interesting if they have a squad come playoffs.
My opinion is simple and Allen should be fined and suspended for what he did.
Caruso is very important to the Bulls with Ball out and LaVine hurting, so this loss is bad..
Importance to his team doesn’t factor in at all when it comes to punishment. People have to get their emotion out of this
Grayson Allen just can’t seem to leave his goonish ways.
I think everyone has an opinion. What about Oubre’s flagrant 2 on an airborne player yesterday. Where’s the outrage? I think Allen was trying to stop an “and 1.” Just a few plays previously he literally didn’t touch a player and was called for a foul on DeRozan giving up a free shot and free throws. In this case he didn’t stop the ball in Caruso’s hand with the first swipe and rotated around to stop the shot. I can’t see it for anything being done on purpose to hurt someone but to stop the shot. I think it’s over. Will be interesting to see if he plays March 4 in Chicago.
Because Allen is a dirty player. Has been since his Duke days. that and he took a second swing mid air after the initial contact, didn’t even take check on him, and then grinned at half court. That’s the difference.
Fake* check on him.