Lakers have a number of additional key players who will be free agents this offseason. This group includes Alex Caruso.
He is not helping his cause after it was revealed he arrested for possession of marijuana.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks sees Caruso landing a deal similar to De’Anthony Melton’s four-year, $34.6 million contract.
“The guard, who is the longest-tenured player on the roster, ranked No. 4 among all players in defensive rating (101.2) this season and is a big reason the Lakers ranked as the top defensive team in the league,” Marks noted. “Because he has been on the roster for more than three seasons, Caruso has full Bird rights, allowing the Lakers to sign him for up to 25% of the salary cap and a maximum of five seasons. According to Windhorst, league executives believe that Caruso could draw interest from teams in the $9.5 million midlevel exception range. That salary falls in line with the $8 million average value that ProFitX has for Caruso in free agency.”
Caruso is a fan favorite for providing the team with much-needed energy off the bench.
The guard averaged 6.4 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 21 minutes per game during the 2020-21 season.
