Download our Free Mobile App!
Faster with Fewer Ads

Get App
Lakers Nation
  • Rumors
  • Schedule
    • Lakers 2025 Preseason Schedule
  • Videos
    • YouTube
    • Podcast
  • FAQ
  • About
    • About Lakers Nation
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
  • Download Our App

Download our Free Mobile App!
Faster with Fewer Ads

Get App
Lakers Nation
  • Rumors
  • Schedule
    • Lakers 2025 Preseason Schedule
  • Videos
    • YouTube
    • Podcast
  • FAQ
  • About
    • About Lakers Nation
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
  • Download Our App
Search
  • Rumors
  • Schedule
    • 2024 preseason
    • 2024-2025 regular season
  • Videos
    • YouTube
    • Podcast
  • FAQ
  • About
    • About Lakers Nation
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy
  • Download Our App
Follow US
© 2024 Medium Large Sports Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Lakers Nation > Blog > Lakers News > Alex Caruso Says The South Bay Lakers Want To Play As ‘Fast, If Not Faster’ Than The NBA Team
Lakers News

Alex Caruso Says The South Bay Lakers Want To Play As ‘Fast, If Not Faster’ Than The NBA Team

Harrison Faigen
Published: 11/05/2017
3 Min Read
Lakers Practice Notes & Video: Lonzo Ball’s Teammates Have His Back
Darrell Ann-Lakers Nation
SHARE

As one of the two members of the Los Angeles Lakers on a two-way contract that will see him spend time with both the parent team and the South Bay Lakers, there are few players better equipped than Alex Caruso to comment on the similarities and differences between the NBA team and its G-League affiliate.

According to him, there are far more of the former than the latter.

“They want to run the organizations the same. They want to play fast. The playbooks might be just a little different personnel-wise, you run different plays for different guys, but first and foremost they want to play defense and run,” Caruso said during the South Bay Lakers’ media day.

The one major difference? That even though the NBA Lakers are playing at the third-fastest pace in the league, Caruso said the South Bay affiliate wants to play just as “fast, if not faster” than the parent squad.

“If we don’t have to call a play all year, that’d be ideal,” Caruso said.

The G-League in general plays at a far faster pace than the NBA, so Caruso and the team’s goal might not be as bold as it sounds.

The South Bay Lakers already fulfilled it in their first game, with their PACE of 109.67 outpacing the Lakers season average of 105.56.

Whether the South Bay team ultimately fulfills its goal is unknowable, but either way, there are clear benefits for teams who have that type of pace and organizational continuity between their NBA and G League teams. It allows the parent front office to see a facsimile of what players would look like in their system in the G League, and gives players on call-ups less of a learning curve to adjust to the NBA.

The Lakers saw the benefits of this continuity with David Nwaba last season, and if it can help them find the next version of him or simply just help guys like Caruso and Thomas Bryant develop, then both teams will be in a better spot moving forward.

WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DISCUSSION? CHECK OUT THE NEW LAKERSNATION FORUM CLUB

Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Share 0
TAGGED:Alex CarusoLos Angeles LakersSouth Bay Lakers
ByHarrison Faigen
Follow:
Harrison Faigen is co-host of the Locked on Lakers podcast (subscribe here), and you can follow him on Twitter at @hmfaigen, or support his work via Venmo here or Patreon here.
Sign Up for Our Newsletter
Get breaking Lakers News direct to your inbox.

Categories

  • News
  • Rumors
  • Games
  • History

Information

  • Advertise
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Get breaking Lakers News direct to your inbox.

© 2025 Medium Large Sports Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?