The Los Angeles Lakers were one of the biggest winners of the first day of free agency. Not only they added Russell Westbrook during the NBA Draft but also, they signed multiple veterans such as Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore, and Wayne Ellington.
But not everything was perfect for Rob Pelinka and the purple and gold. Obviously, to bring some of those players, they had to give up a lot along the way. From Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Montrezl Harrell during the draft to Alex Caruso last night.
The Chicago Bulls offered Caruso a 4-year, $37 million contract but given his condition as a restricted free agent, the Lakers could've matched that offer. Instead, they didn't even make him a counter.
The Lakers Didn't Even Make A Counter Offer For Alex 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.
While Caruso's averages of 6.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists per game weren't exactly impressive, he's one of the best backcourt defenders in the league and shot 43% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc.
Caruso's popularity around the league started out as mockery and memes but he earned every single minute of playing time. His grit, grind, and hustle as a defender made him a huge factor for the Lakers' recent success.
Now, the Bulls have added a top-notch backcourt stopper to come off the bench next to Coby White, while also adding Lonzo Ball as their point guard for the next four years. Clearly, Arturas Karnisovas is up to something and the future seems bright in the Windy City. As for the Lakers, let's hope they don't regret that decision.
