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Los Angeles Lakers: Is it time for the NBA to take Alex Caruso seriously?

By Ashley Hooper

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 07: Alex Caruso #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to a play during the second half of a game against the New York Knicks at Staples Center on January 07, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 07: Alex Caruso #4 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to a play during the second half of a game against the New York Knicks at Staples Center on January 07, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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Put down your Alex Caruso bobbleheads. Sign out of your Alex Caruso fan pages and quit making your ‘tongue in cheek’ Alex Caruso memes. It is about time the wider NBA and in fact, some Los Angeles Lakers’ fans, started to take Alex Caruso seriously.

Alex Caruso has, for some reason, became somewhat of a gimmick amongst the Laker fanbase. Memes have been created about him being the GOAT and GIFs have been created about him being better than MJ. This is likely due to his arrival being somewhat of a bright spark in a below-par period for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 campaigns, teamed with the fact he doesn’t exactly look like your average NBA player.

The internet jumped on him, making him the but of many a ‘Laker joke’. However, there were many inside the Laker camp who suspected that Caruso could be the real deal.

In his second season, off the back of 37 games in his rookie year, Caruso showed glimpses of what could be his potential ceiling with a 32-point game in a 122-117 win over the LA Clippers.

However, Caruso again found himself at the end of a viral internet joke in the 2019 offseason when a photoshopped picture of Caruso looking ‘ripped’ in the gym led to a ‘random drug test’.  Again though, the Laker’s front office saw the potential in Caruso and he signed a two year $5.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers for the new campaign.

With continued rumors circulating the Laker camp regarding ‘adding another piece in the run-up to playoffs’ Caruso may well have sent off an, ‘I am ready flare’ to the Lakers fanbase in last nights 120-116 overtime win against the Denver Nuggets. Caruso played the final stretch of regular time and all of overtime basketball. Frank Vogel said after the game (via LA Times),

"“I brake him out when I need him. He’s certainly earned a rotation spot. He’s in the rotation. When we need him to grow into a bigger role, he delivers.”"

That statement sounds to me like Vogel trusts Caruso in clutch moments, in moments where the team needs to stand up and be counted for. If this is the case then Alex Caruso could well be the final piece of the puzzle that the Lakers need in the playoffs.

Therefore, lets cut the jokes now and take this guy seriously, because sure as hell opposition NBA players will be in the playoffs.

Next. Should the Lakers have traded Kyle Kuzma?. dark

Caruso finished up with a +23 plus-minus last night in 22 minutes against the second seed in the west. So let’s give him the respect that he deserves as a ballplayer.

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