Los Angeles Lakers: Alex Caruso vs. Dion Waiters to replace Avery Bradley

The Los Angeles Lakers’ case for Alex Caruso:

Pros: 

• Has much more experience with the team

The biggest advantage that Alex Caruso has over Dion Waiters is that he is much more experienced with the team. Waiters has not played a single game with the Lakers and the practices should have been limited during the league’s hiatus.

This is not just Caruso being around the team more. He has emerged into a legitimate role player this team and is more than just a fan-favorite.

• Solid defender

Alex Caruso is not the best on-ball defender in the league but he is certainly someone who can handle himself in this Lakers defense and do more than a good enough job on switches and in isolation against opposing team’s point guards. He is not Bradley, but he is better defensively than Waiters.

• Does not need the ball in his hands

Perhaps the best attribute that a point guard can have alongside LeBron James is not needing the basketball much in their hands to be successful. That is the case for Caruso more so than Waiters. Caruso can fit into the starting lineup more seamlessly because of that.

Cons: 

• Limited experience in the NBA

Caruso has more experience with the Los Angeles Lakers but he has much less NBA experience. Caruso has been nothing more than a small role player in his career thus far and was likely slated for a minimal role in the playoffs, so a big jump in minutes could be a big ask.

• Lacks playmaking

Everyone has seen the Alex Caruso highlights where he posterizes another professional athlete. While Caruso is a great athlete and can make big plays at times, he still does lack great playmaking. He is not someone who is going to get himself open often and is someone that can kind of get forgotten about while on the court. Not great playoff traits.