Los Angeles Lakers: Alex Caruso will be one of the biggest bargains

Alex Caruso will be one of the biggest bargains after signing with the Los Angeles Lakers this summer.

The Los Angeles Lakers proved to be prepared after losing out on Kawhi Leonard, by making some wise decisions shortly after. One of the smartest moves they made this offseason was retaining Alex Caruso

The signings of DeMarcus Cousins, Danny Green, and Quinn Cook received the most attention, but it was keeping Caruso that can pay the most dividends.

Caruso signed to a two-year contract worth just $5.5 million. Signing a player with the upside that Caruso has for under three million per season is just mind-boggling. There’s a reason that even the Golden State Warriors showed interest in acquiring Caruso.

Last season Caruso showed big improvements from the previous season. After averaging 3.6 points and 2 assists in 15 minutes he bumped the numbers up to 9.2 points and 3.1 assists last season. He shot 45% from the field and an impressive 48% from three-point range.

Towards the end of the season Caruso grew more and more comfortable. He had big games against teams fighting for playoff position. Against the Clippers he had a career-high 32 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Two days later he followed it up with 18 points and 11 assists against Portland.

There are many things Caruso can do on the floor. He has terrific size at 6’5″ and can defend multiple guard spots. He is a terrific athlete who can shoot it and make plays for others. Another thing to consider is that he is only 25-years-old. He is far from a finished product.

In the G-League he was named Second-team All-NBA G-League in 2018. He averaged 19 points and 7.7 assists. Not only was Caruso a terrific weapon on offense, he was a quality defender. In three seasons with the G-League he has an average of 2.1 steals.

Had the Lakers not signed Caruso, they would be stuck with two undersized point guards in Rajon Rondo and Quinn Cook. Both players are quality guards but have limitations. Cook is a terrific shooter but isn’t a great playmaker or defender. Rondo is a great passer who can rebound but is limited defensively and isn’t a plus shooter. Caruso is by far the more versatile option and has the most size and athleticism.

Don’t be surprised if Caruso becomes the Lakers starting point guard this season. He can do a bit of everything as he showed late last season. He is arguably the most talented Laker at that position.

Playing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis will make things easier for him. Imagine him in a pick-and-roll with Davis? Last season he produced while teams were keying in on him as guys like LeBron, Kyle Kuzma, Lonzo Ball, and Brandon Ingram missed time.

It isn’t a question of whether Caruso can play, it’s whether he will get the minutes he deserves? Look for Caruso to be one of the best backup guards in the league. His numbers should be similar to last season’s but they will help lead to more wins.