Six months ago, on June 21, the Thunder made waves by trading Josh Giddey to land Alex Caruso in a move nobody saw coming. Now, as of this Saturday morning, Caruso is officially eligible for a contract extension—one that could go up to $81.1 million over four years. On Sunday night, Caruso locked in a four-year, $81 million extension with the Thunder, his agent revealed to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The team confirmed the deal later that evening but stayed quiet about the specifics of the agreement.
Back in 2021, the Bulls swooped in during free agency and plucked him from the Lakers. At the time, no one could’ve guessed he’d evolve into one of the NBA’s most valuable trade pieces. But here we are.
Caruso’s journey is a true underdog story. After going undrafted from Texas A&M in 2017, he started with the Thunder’s G League team. He then spent his first four seasons in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he helped secure a championship in 2020.
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USA Today via Reuters
Following that, Caruso moved to the Chicago Bulls, where he spent three seasons before being traded to Oklahoma City last summer in exchange for Josh Giddey. It’s wild to think how far he’s come, from a G League player to a title winner and now a key figure in the Thunder’s future.
Lakers Nation still regrets letting him go for “nothing”
Fans reacted to this news quickly. One fan wrote “The Lakers could really use a solid role player like him *laughing emoji*”. Since his departure, the Lakers have struggled to find a player who mirrors Caruso’s unique blend of tenacity, defensive prowess, and hustle. In his time with Los Angeles, Caruso was the glue guy—a versatile defender and unselfish playmaker who excelled in high-pressure moments.
Another user commented “Everyone gets better after leaving the Lakers”. After his departure in 2021, Caruso has undeniably leveled up, going from an underrated role player in Los Angeles to a key contributor and defensive standout in the league.
While the Lakers leaned heavily on his hustle and perimeter defense du