Why the Lakers Let Alex Caruso Walk: A Costly Misjudgment in Roster Valuation
The Caruso Conundrum: Luxury Tax or Lost Logic?
When the Lakers let Alex Caruso walk in 2021, fans were told it was about financial flexibility. But as BR’s Eric Pincus recently underscored, that narrative doesn’t hold up. “They spent more on Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn, and even Patrick Beverley,” Pincus noted. The real reason? The front office simply didn’t see Caruso as a priority—a miscalculation that reeks of poor talent evaluation.
Data Doesn’t Lie: The Numbers Behind the Blunder
Caruso’s defensive metrics during his Lakers tenure were elite: a +3.5 Defensive Box Plus-Minus (DBPM) in his final season, ranking him among the top 10% of guards. Compare that to Horton-Tucker’s -1.2 DBPM or Nunn’s injury-plagued absence. Yet the Lakers opted for flashier names over substance—a recurring theme in their post-2020 roster moves.
The Bigger Pattern: A History of Missed Calls
Pincus didn’t mince words: “This reflects terrible decision-making by the same group that thought Mike Muscala was better than Ivica Zubac.” From Russell Westbrook’s disastrous acquisition to overpaying for past-their-prime veterans, the Lakers have repeatedly misallocated resources. Letting Caruso walk wasn’t an isolated mistake; it was symptomatic of a systemic issue.
Why This Still Matters Today
Two years later, Caruso thrives as an All-Defensive Team candidate in Chicago, while the Lakers scramble for perimeter defense. The lesson? Championship teams recognize glue guys early. As I often say: “Advanced stats won’t scream ‘keep this player,’ but they’ll whisper it relentlessly.” Too bad Lakers management wasn’t listening.
TacticalEmma
Hot comment (7)
Gila Betul! Lakers Rugikan Diri Sendiri
Masih nggak percaya Lakers melepas Alex Caruso demi Talen Horton-Tucker? Itu seperti memilih nasi goreng tanpa telur demi kerupuk!
Statistik Tak Bohong Caruso punya DBPM +3.5 (elite!), sementara THT minus. Tapi manajemen Lakers kayaknya lebih suka gaya daripada substansi. Klasik banget!
Siapa yang Menyesal Sekarang? 2 tahun kemudian: Caruso jadi bintang pertahanan di Chicago, Lakers masih cari-cari solusi. Lesson learned: dengarkan bisikan statistik!
Gimana pendapat kalian? Salah besar atau salah fatal nih keputusan Lakers? 😂
¡Vaya desastre, Lakers!
Dejar escapar a Alex Caruso fue como cambiar un diamante por un chicle. Los números no mienten: +3.5 en defensa vs. -1.2 de Horton-Tucker. ¿En serio? 🤦♂️
El ‘genio’ de la dirección
Gastaron más en jugadores que en un refresco, pero soltaron al único que sabía defender. ¿Alguien tiene un manual de ‘Cómo no arruinar tu equipo’?
Y ahora, mientras Caruso brilla en Chicago, los Lakers siguen buscando… ¡lo que ya tenían! ¿Ironía o incompetencia? Vosotros decidid.
Parece que os Lakers trocaram ouro por bijuteria!\n\nDeixar Alex Caruso ir foi como vender um carro blindado para comprar um fusca tunado. Os números não mentem: +3.5 de Defensive Box Plus-Minus vs. -1.2 do THT? Até eu, que sou jornalista esportivo, faria melhor gestão no Football Manager bêbado!\n\nE o pior? Ainda estão procurando defesa como se fosse Uber perdido. Será que já aprenderam a lição ou vão contratar o Neymar pra tapar buraco? Comentem aí!
Ein Klassiker der Lakers-Logik!
Die Entscheidung, Alex Caruso ziehen zu lassen, war wie ein Eigentor bei der WM – nur teurer! Während er jetzt in Chicago die Bälle klaut wie ein Dieb in der Nacht, zahlen die Lakers für Talen Horton-Tucker und Co. Gold für Blech.
Statistik sagt alles: Carusos Defensivwerte? Top 10%. Die Lakers-Ersatzspieler? Mehr Löcher als Schweizer Käse. Aber hey, Hauptsache „big names“ – das Prinzip „teuer ist besser“ hat ja immer funktioniert… oder?
Euer Turnschuh-Analyst fragt: Wann lernen die Lakers endlich, dass nicht der Preis, sondern der Wert zählt? Oder brauchen sie noch ein paar Millionen-Versuche? 😄 #BasketballIronie
## La Gaffe Monumentale des Lakers
Les Lakers ont laissé filer Alex Caruso pour des raisons financières… et ont ensuite dépensé plus pour des joueurs comme Horton-Tucker et Nunn. Bravo la logique !
## Les Chiffres Parlent d’Eux-Mêmes
Caruso avait un DBPM défensif de +3.5, un des meilleurs parmi les arrières. Les Lakers ont préféré des noms flashy plutôt que l’efficacité. Classique.
## Et Maintenant ?
Caruso brille à Chicago pendant que les Lakers cherchent désespérément une défense. La morale ? Écoutez les statistiques, elles chuchotent souvent la vérité.
Qu’en pensez-vous ? Les Lakers ont-ils encore des chances de se rattraper ?
Gara-gara Nggak Dengerin Statistik, Lakers Kehilangan ‘Si Pembela’!
Lakers melepas Alex Caruso tahun 2021 dengan alasan ‘fleksibilitas finansial’, tapi nyatanya malah boros beli pemain lain yang performanya biasa saja. Padahal statistik pertahanan Caruso termasuk top 10% guard NBA!
Ironisnya: Sekarang Caruso jadi bintang pertahanan di Chicago Bulls, sementara Lakers masih kelabakan cari pemain bertahan. Kayaknya manajemen Lakers waktu itu lebih suka gaya daripada substansi deh!
Pelajarannya: Kalau statistik sudah berbisik ‘pertahankan pemain ini’, mending didengar. Tapi ya sudahlah, namanya juga manusia bisa salah… walaupun salahnya mahal banget sih buat Lakers!
Gimana menurut kalian? Masih ada harapan buat Lakers atau bakal terus menyesal lepas Caruso?
Die Lakers und ihre magische Talent-Brille
Manchmal fragt man sich echt, ob die Lakers-Manager bei Spielerbewertungen eine Brille aus Milchglas tragen. Alex Caruso gehen lassen, aber Talen Horton-Tucker behalten? Das ist so logisch wie ein Känguru beim Hochsprung!
Zahlen schreien nicht… sie flüstern!
Carusos Defensivstats (+3.5 DBPM!) waren ein klarer Hinweis – aber nein, lieber auf ‚Flashy Names‘ setzen. Typisch Lakers: Daten ignorieren und dann überrascht sein, wenn die Defense löchrig ist.
Fazit: Wer nicht hören will, muss fühlen… oder in diesem Fall: verlieren.
Was meint ihr? Sollten die Lakers endlich mal Excel öffnen? 😂
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