Sometimes, leaving it all on the court and even being a fan favorite isn't enough in the NBA. The league is a business, and championship contenders like the Los Angeles Lakers are always looking to get better.
As ruthless as it may seem, that's just the way things go in this line of business. That's why, albeit surprising and unexpected for some, it wasn't that odd to see the Lakers let Alex Caruso walk away.
The former NBA Champion eventually signed a lucrative deal with the Chicago Bulls to provide some much-needed defense and grittiness off the bench. And, apparently, he's settling in just perfectly in the Windy City.
NBA News: Alex Caruso Takes A Friendly Jab At The Lakers
Caruso has been impressive in workouts thus far. His grind and toughness have left assistant coaches in awe. However, he feels that his ability to do the little things well is a product of how the Lakers used him:
"Bulls ran some dribble handoff drills during practice today, and Alex Caruso said an assistant coach pulled him aside to compliment him on his ability to fight through screens. “I said for three years that’s all I was allowed to do," reported Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports.
Shots fired! Well, actually not. Caruso was joking and he knows he's not the kind of player you should run an offense through. Even so, he could be slightly salty given the way the Lakers didn't even fight for him.
The Lakers Didn't Even Try To Keep Caruso
"According to a source with knowledge of the situation, Caruso's camp went back to the Lakers after the Bulls made their offer and were told that there would be no counter," reported Sam Amick of The Athletic.
The Lakers gave up plenty of their depth this offseason but did great moves to fill their roster. So, yeah, no hard feelings, Alex. That's just the way things go in the NBA.
