Los Angeles Lakers: Three free agents the team should keep

Alex Caruso

If there was an award for the player who least looks like an NBA basketball player, Alex Caruso would be in the running.

Caruso is a player you can’t help but love. He isn’t the best defender, he isn’t the most athletic and he isn’t going to torch opposing defenses on a daily basis, but Caruso offers heart in abundance and continuous effort every game.

Having spent most of his NBA career in the G league, being sparringly used by the Los Angeles Lakers, Caruso finally got to show what he could do towards the end of this season and he has not disappointed.

Having gained the fans respect with his hard work on both sides of the ball, his ability to run the offense and hit the three ball with some consistency, I think he has earned the right to be a permanent fixture in this Lakers squad.

Caruso has really made the most of his time in the starting lineup and makes us think if he could have provided better all-around play than Rajon Rondo offered for most of the season.

To me, Caruso has a small bit of Steve Nash to his game. His unpredictability and deceptive athleticism allow for Caruso to make plays opposing players don’t expect. He is a very solid playmaker who makes the easy and most effective passes to his teammates.

One area of his game that was considered a considerable weakness was his 3-point shooting. However, in his time in the starting lineup, he has shown an ability to hit the three ball with some consistency, which could be a huge development for him carving out a long career in the NBA.

Hopefully, Caruso is given a long term contract with the Lakers as he a epitomizes the heart and effort which Lakers fans revere.