New Lakers signing could be another Alex Caruso for LA
By Jason Reed
One of the biggest mistakes the Los Angeles Lakers have made in recent years was letting Alex Caruso leave. Caruso was extremely important to the team’s success as he was one of the best perimeter defenders in the entire league.
Los Angeles could have re-signed Caruso and was getting a really good price but the front office did not want the luxury tax implications that would have come with a signing. Thus, the team chose to re-sign Talen Horton-Tucker — who isn’t with the team anymore — instead.
The Lakers traded THT for Patrick Beverley, who is hoping to have a similar impact on this team as Caruso. At this point in his career, Beverley is essentially a worse version of Caruso but he is still a solid defender.
Los Angeles needs a long-term option, though, and the team may have found that in their newest signing. Dwayne Bacon and Javante McCoy were waived by the Lakers to make room for L.J. Figueroa and Shaquille Harrison, who has Alex Caruso potential for LA.
Shaquille Harrison could become a defensive diamond in the rough for the Lakers.
Shaquille Harrison was named the G League Defensive Player of the Year last season one year after Gary Payton II won the same award. As we saw last season with the Golden State Warriors, Payton makes a big difference at the NBA level.
Harrison is a great perimeter defender with athleticism that is very exciting for the Lakers to tap into. His offensive game has been limited in the few chances he has gotten at the NBA level but that is not what LA would need out of him.
Lakers just signed the 2022 GLeague Defensive Player of the Year.
— Lakers Legacy (@LakersLegacyPod) October 8, 2022
Shaq Harrison.
A return of the Shaq in Purple & Gold only makes so much sense.
Hope he at least stays within our SB Lakers farm system past training camp.pic.twitter.com/guyKZZUOJN
Caruso was viewed as a zero offensively and while he did not become some offensive game-changer in LA, he learned how to hit three-point shots and be a positive on the offensive end. Adding that to his defense made him a great asset for LA to utilize.
Harrison likely won’t make the NBA roster to start the 2022-23 season with there being an influx of guards but that should not derail the hype train. Los Angeles is one of the best teams in the entire league in finding these diamonds in the rough and developing them into legitimate NBA rotations.
That is exactly what the organization did with Alex Caruso, who was a standout with the South Bay Lakers before winning a championship in 2020. With the defensive pedigree as a combo guard, and now in an organization that has an eye for talent and an ability to develop said talent, Harrison has a chance to follow in Caruso’s footsteps.
It might not make a difference this season but the team may have just made a move that could have big implications in the future.