Alex Caruso, for good reasons
Last year’s NBA Playoffs should have proven to every casual fan that Alex Caruso has a big impact on this team and is more than just the memes that have turned him into a household name for any NBA fan with social media.
Caruso was really good in the playoffs last season but it was the NBA bubble and the entire situation was a bit wonky and it is safe to say that a lot of fans took that with a grain of salt. Now is Caruso’s real time to shine and solidify his standing in the league.
Caruso is one of the best defensive players not just on the Los Angeles Lakers, but in the entire league. Caruso is one of the main reasons why the Lakers have been such a good defensive team this season and why the perimeter defense has really stepped up in recent weeks.
He hustles after every ball and is not afraid to get physical, playing a perfect brand of defense in 2021 that is effective but does not get him in foul trouble. He really is a blast from the past and would be much more beloved by widespread NBA fans if this was the ’90s.
Seeing Caruso match up against guards such as Chris Paul and Devin Booker in the first round will be telling in upon itself. Then, when he is tasked to defend Kawhi Leonard or Paul George and holds his own it will be the icing on the cake and raise his free-agent price this summer.