NBA Free Agency: Los Angeles Lakers Reportedly Did Not Show Any Fight to Retain Alex Caruso

The Los Angeles Lakers seem to have made a special bond with being the big news. First, it was with a blockbuster trade that got them 9-time All-Star, Russell Westbrook. Moreover, reports are also coming up that many renowned players are willing to sign a minimum deal just to join them!

However, this time they made the news for a bad reason. Recently, Laker boy, Alex Caruso agreed to a 4-year $37 million contract with the Chicago Bulls. Now, looking at his impact on the team and LA, the Lakers must have put up a fight. Well, did they?

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Lakers show no fight for Alex Caruso

When matters came to the fan-favorite player, LA decided not to counter the offer from the Chicago Bulls. According to The Athletic, Caruso’s camp came back to them when the Bulls made their move. But, to everyone’s surprise, the purple and gold said that there would be no counteroffer for Caruso.

This is really surprising, given that the Lakers don’t have a lot of salary room on offer, and just a few minimum slots. Having the rights to Caruso meant they could have decided to pay him whatever they want. However, they opted to let the ‘Caru-Show’ go to Chicago instead.

Moreover, Caruso is only 27 years old and is a major role player for them. He averaged 20 minutes per game. In addition, he developed into a great perimeter defender for the Lakers.

Now, all that is left is to wish Caruso all the luck as he starts his new journey in the ‘Windy City’.

Why is Caruso so popular?

The ‘Bald Eagle’ became a fan favorite after his play against the Golden State Warriors. After a missed shot, Alex ran all the way from the left corner and finished a put-back dunk over Kevin Durant. No one knew that Caruso had that kind of bounce and the bench’s reaction, especially Bron skyrocketed his popularity.

Caruso comes in with high energy and puts his heart out on the court. As a role player, he averaged 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal. However, his journey was not all that smooth. Caruso jumped from Summer league to G-league as he went undrafted.

After that, the Lakers signed him, and he impressed right away. With his high intensity and stellar defense, he was promoted to the starting lineup in 2019. Now, he is an NBA champion and is sure to be a fan favorite wherever he goes.

Do you think the Lakers made a mistake giving up on Alex Caruso? Let us know in the comments below.

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