The Lakers lost Caruso to a great loss, and now they are an important puzzle player for the Thunder

On June 9, on the NBA stage, the flow of players often affects the team's fate. In the summer of 2021, the Los Angeles Lakers made a decision that made fans regret - letting Alex Caruso go. This defender, who is good at defense, has now become an important puzzle for the Oklahoma City Thunder to strive for the championship. When the Thunder tied 1-1 with their opponents on the 2025 Finals stage, looking back at Caruso's growth trajectory, we have to admit that the Lakers' choice that year did leave regrets.

Caruso was famous for his nickname "Bald Mamba" during the Lakers. Although the data is not dazzling - he averaged only 6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, the defensive intensity and game vitality he brought cannot be fully reflected in the data. In the 2021 offseason, due to salary space restrictions, the Lakers could only offer Caruso a two-year, $15 million contract, while the Bulls spent four years and $37 million to recruit him. This decision may have been exaggerated at the time, but now it seems that what the Lakers have lost is not only a high-quality role player, but also an X-factor that can change the trend of the game.

After switching to the Bulls, Caruso's growth is obvious to all. In the 2023-24 season, he averaged 10.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.7 steals per game, and his three-point shooting percentage was as high as 40.1%. More importantly, he was selected for the All-Defensive Team for two consecutive years, proving that he is the league's top outside defender. Such performance gave the rebuilding Thunder a chance. Before the 2024 trade deadline, they exchanged the Bulls for Caruso with two first-round picks. The deal was generally believed to have "paid too much" at the time, but the progress of the playoffs proved it all.

After coming to the Thunder, Caruso perfectly integrated into the system of this young team. Head coach Mark Dignot tailored the role of "3D+" for him - on the basis of maintaining three-pointers and defense, he gave him more tasks to organize offense. With increasingly tacit understanding with young core members such as Shea Gilgers-Alexander and Chet Homgren, Caruso has become an indispensable adhesive in the Thunder's offensive and defense system. In the playoffs, Caruso's value was fully reflected. In the first round against the Pelicans, he successfully limited CJ McCollum's performance; in the second round, his defense against Luka Doncic was impressive; in the Western Conference Finals, he not only restricted Jamal Murray, but also scored 4 three-pointers in the sixth game to help the team advance to the finals. These performances made Thunder fans sigh: "We finally have our own 'Champion puzzle '! "

On the stage of today's finals, Caruso continues to perform his highlights. In the first game, he contributed comprehensive data of 12 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals, with a plus-negative value of up to +15; although he didn't score many points in the second game, he successfully limited the performance of the opponent's core backcourt on the defensive end. When the series is 1-1, experts generally believe that the Thunder has a greater chance of winning, not only because they have a younger core lineup, but also because they have a role player like Caruso who is experienced and has both offense and defense. The story of Caruso tells us that in the NBA business league, sometimes the most precious thing is not the talented superstars, but the puzzle players who can perfectly adapt to the team and stand up at critical moments. For the Thunder, Caruso's arrival fills the experience and defensive gap that the team needs most; for Caruso himself, this finals trip is the best affirmation of his career; for Lakers fans, they can only watch the former darling shine in the opponent's team helplessly.

If the Thunder finally wins the championship, Caruso's contribution is definitely worth a championship ring. His story also reminds all NBA teams: while chasing superstars, don't ignore the role players who can really help the team win. After all, basketball is a sport of five people, and the champion needs the perfect cooperation of every part.