The Los Angeles Lakers fanbase is like none other in that if a player plays well for the team, he will be forever recognized as a hero.
When the team did not re-sign former guard Alex Caruso last summer, the Lakers faithful was crushed after losing a fan-favorite who helped them win the 2020 NBA Championship. The 6-foot-4-inch guard is still making an impact on a championship-caliber team with his new journey with the Chicago Bulls.
In an interview with Jonathan Adams of Heavy.com, Caruso sheds light on the spotlight surrounding the Lakers’ organization, especially after their disappointing performance last season:
“Maybe not I told you so, but I don’t think I realized how much the Lakers are in the media until you leave,” Caruso explained during a July 9, 2022 interview. “Being in the [Lakers] facility, it’s a little hard to see, but being in Chicago this year, I could definitely tell. It was easy to keep up with throughout the year.”
“…They had a lot of turnover, anytime in professional sports, you have a lot of turnover, you have to rebuild chemistry, you got to rebuild continuity. That’s stuff that can’t really be overlooked sometimes. I think with pro sports, you think you just put a bunch of really good players on the court it will take care of itself. Sometimes it takes a little bit of glue, a little bit of time to figure out how it’s going to work. So, I think that’s probably just what they went through this past year.”
Caruso contributed to the unique team chemistry the championship Lakers had during the 2019-20 NBA season. The high energy and likability he carries in any locker room brings a good attitude to the team that can make plays on both ends of the floor in any situation.
The chemistry of the 2020 championship Lakers was second to none, and Caruso still remains in contact with some of the members despite most of the team being scattered across the country playing for different NBA teams:
“There’s a handful of them [I stay in contact with], we’re all still obviously tapped in on social media,” Caruso said of his former Lakers teammates. “I talk to Kuz [Kyle Kuzma] a lot about golf, about basketball, about stuff just in general. We have a great relationship. KCP [Kentavious Caldwell-Pope], LeBron through social media, a bunch of those guys from Danny Green, Dwight [Howard], still tap in with them every now and then. We got a great chemistry.”
The Lakers may have found someone to fill the shoes of a high-energy role player like Caruso in young guard Austin Reaves. But the differences between the two players should be celebrated, and Laker fans should hope Reaves can help contribute to a championship similar to how Caruso did.
Horten-Tucker Not Being Entertained In A Potential Trade For Beverley
After the Utah Jazz traded away their former star center Rudy Gobert in one of the largest trades in NBA history to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Jazz have entered rebuild mode that may or may not include star guard Donovan Mitchell.
With teams still looking to add valuable players to compete for a championship, the Jazz’s veteran core of Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson, and Bojan Bogdanović are rumored to potentially be shopped around to help facilitate the Jazz rebuild.
The Lakers have been rumored to have trade interest in Patrick Beverley but with the limited trade assets and salary cap table L.A. currently has, the idea of including 21-year-old guard, Talen Horten-Tucker in a deal for Beverley is not being pushed.
Beverley would add the toughness, leadership and a nose for the ball on the defensive end that the Lakers would benefit from after being one of the worst defensive teams in the league last season. The potential mutual interest Beverley may share in joining the Lakers is exciting for fans to visualize him on the roster, but how a deal may get done is still the question.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
