Los Angeles Lakers: 3 most underappreciated players on the roster

By Jason Reed | Jan 13, 2021

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 27: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope #1 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers while playing the Minnesota Timberwolves at Staples Center on December 27, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty aImages License Agreement. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

1. Alex Caruso

Most Laker fans know how good Alex Caruso is and if you are a frequent reader of Lake Show Life — first, thank you — then you have read time and time again about why Caruso is one of the most slept on players in the league.

Part of the reason is that he is not that great offensively and does not play a pretty brand of basketball. He is not someone who is going to drain threes as an off-ball scorer or someone who can run the offense consistently. His value is on the defensive side of the basketball.

The other reason why he is now underappreciated is because of the social media frenzy that surrounded him when he first started making his mark in the league. Every NBA media outlet was covering Caruso, almost as a joke to an extent, because he does not look like a typical NBA player but would do things such as throw down thunderous dunks.

That swung the needle far in the other direction where non-Laker fans were so sick of the love Caruso received that he then became underappreciated.

I say this will all sincerity: Alex Caruso is one of the best defensive guards in the entire NBA. Caruso ranked fourth among guards in Defensive Box Plus-Minus last season, trailing only Patrick Beverely, Matisse Thybulle and Kris Dunn. Among all positions, he ranked 10th!

Caruso is a top-tier defensive player, period.

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