“Alex Caruso is the LeBron of playing with LeBron James”: NBA fans stir a debate on if $9M Caruso would have been better than $44M Russell Westbrook

The LA Lakers opened their 2021-22 season to a loss against the Golden State Warriors. Though LeBron James and Anthony Davis had a great night, Russell Westbrook struggled from the field. Brodie’s performance led to some questioning if it was worth letting go of Alex Caruso.

The newly revamped LA Lakers had a disappointing start to their season opener, losing against the Golden State Warriors 121-114. The Lakers dominated Steph Curry and co during the first half of the game. However, the Warriors would steal the game away from them during the final minutes.

Lakers point guard Russell Westbrook, who had been struggling during the postseason, couldn’t find his rhythm in the season opener as well. The former MVP had 8-points, 5-rebounds, and 4-assists during the game. Westbrook’s tryst with turnovers continued as he had four of them.

During the 2021-22 off-season, the Lakers had parted ways with their point guard Alex Caruso, who many felt was a miscalculated judgment by the front office. Caruso was one of the most loved players in LA by teammates and fans alike.

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With Westbrook’s recent performances and his expensive contract, the question that has been cropping up is whether the 9x All-Star was worth it. On the contrary, Caruso was willing to take a pay cut to return to the Lakers.

Who would be a better teammate to LeBron James?

Former Lakers guard Alex Caruso was let off by the team during the off-season. Caruso was a free agent during the time and had teams lined up to sign him. The Chicago Bulls offered the former champion 4-year $37M to join them. However, Caruso’s heart lay in LA, especially being a fan favorite at the Staples Center.

Caruso agreed to take a pay cut and sign a $30M 3-year deal with the Lakers, but the purple and gold team were willing to pay him only $7M per year for the time being. Thus he had no choice but to against his wishes, taking his talents to the Windy City.

Though Caruso averaged a mere 18.9 MPG, he had a substantial impact on the game. The 27-year old could play both ends of the floor. During his stint in LA, Caruso shot 42.9% from the field and 37.7% from the 3-point line. Caruso took off a lot of weight from the 36-year old LeBron James’ shoulders.

The Lakers acquired former MVP Russell Westbrook during the off-season. Brodie’s contract is getting him paid $44M this season. Though there is no denying that Westbrook deserves all the money, him being a good fit for the Lakers is questionable.

Mr. Triple Double has usually had the ball in his hands most of the time in his career. Thus sharing it now with James and Davis would be a new habit he would need to develop. The 2x scoring champion’s shooting ability has taken a massive hit over the years.

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It is too early to come to any conclusion with only one game into the season. As in the past, we’ve seen Westbrook taking time to find his rhythm, but once he does, there is no questioning his hustle and work ethic.