"Rob Pelinka’s biggest blunders as a GM" - NBA fans weigh in on Alex Caruso's $81 million contract extension with OKC Thunder
Fans reacted to Alex Caruso signing a four-year, $81 million contract extension with the OKC Thunder on Sunday. After four seasons with the Lakers, the former LA Lakers star joined the Chicago Bulls following a disagreement over the contract with his former team. In June 2024, the guard was traded to Thunder with Josh Giddey going in the opposite direction to the Bulls.
Giving up a defensive asset like Caruso had left a sore spot in the Laker fans' hearts, and it seemingly poured out when Shams Charania broke the new contract extension.
Some of the fans grilled Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss for making the blunder of letting Alex Caruso go.
"One of Rob Pelinka’s biggest blunders as a GM. Prioritizing THT over Caruso… AC always going to be a fan favorite for the Lakers. Congrats!" a fan wrote.
"Jeanie buss let go of him for free btw," another fan wrote.
Meanwhile, a particular fan congratulated Caruso for the money he was making.
"Get yo bag twin I c u 💪," the fan wrote.
Some fans heaped praise on Caruso's professionalism and hard-working attitude.
"Everyone likes this dude. Great player, great attitude. Well deserved. 💰" the fan wrote.
"Love this for him. Proving working hard and showing up every day is worth it," another fan said.
However, some fans highlighted his poor offense and questioned his big contract with the Thunder.
"20 mil a year for a guy who has no offense and plays good defense is wild," the fan wrote.
"38% from the field btw," another fan wrote.
Alex Caruso still wonders about what could have with the Lakers if he wasn't traded
Alex Caruso rose to the NBA screen through his defense. The 30-year-old has earned every cent in his contract and it didn't come easy. Caruso's grind started with LeBron James and Anthony Davis in Los Angeles.
Caruso not only provided a great defensive presence on the floor, guarding the top players on the opponent team, but he also handled the ball well. When AC was with the Chicago Bulls in January this year, he was asked if he sometimes has a "what if" moment about leaving LeBron James and the Lakers.
"Yeah, definitely," Caruso told FOX Sports. "Just because of how well I played with them when I was here. I know how I supported them. And I've gotten better. I was expecting myself to get better. It's actually what had to move me on. I kept getting better and eventually, I was at a point where I couldn't stay here.
"I definitely have always thought about it because those guys [LeBron and AD] are my brothers. We've been through a lot together. Always good seeing them. Every now and then you think about what could've been."
The impact Alex Caruso has on a team is not visible in the numbers on the stat board. Yes, he is shooting a career-low from the field and 3-point line, but he is also averaging a career-high 1.9 steals in just over 20 minutes on the floor.