The Los Angeles Lakers were booted from the playoffs this week. As a result, all focus now shifts to what the future holds.
Guard Alex Caruso is set to become a free agent this summer, and many are now wondering whether he will ultimately remain with the team.
Given his fan-favorite status and the fact that he is a proven fantastic teammate, losing him would be a pretty big blow. This past week, Caruso got very honest about where his head was at right now.
Caruso said:
“I’m a realistic human being. I understand different things happen in L.A. for certain reasons. I’m forever grateful for that, and we’ll see where everything lies.
“But like I said, I’ve got to rank stuff, and that’s obviously not something I’ve thought about in depth 12 hours after the season ended. I’ll look more into that in July, but yeah, those are definitely things that L.A. takes into consideration maybe more so than other places.”
Above all else, Caruso stressed that he needed time to make a decision. He wasn’t ready to do it yet, saying:
“There’s a lot of things that I will sit down and think about and plan out, including what my offseason looks like.
“Things that I finally have a real chance to do now that I have a real offseason being a pro. I’m not scrapping for a job, wondering where I’m going to play. So that’s something I don’t think I can answer right now. Obviously there’s a bunch of different things that go into it.”
The one thing that Caruso conceded would definitely play a role in his decision was the opportunity to play alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
“Anytime you play with those two, you have a realistic chance to win a championship. I know a lot of people around the league think they do,” Caruso said. “But it’s a realistic, attainable goal with those two guys on your team, so that’s always in the back of your mind.”
Caruso has gotten a lot of interesting opportunities by virtue of being a Laker. His shoes, which are actually nicer than James’, are an excellent example of that.
Of course, money matters. And whether he gets paid the way he wants to from L.A. will likely play the biggest role in whether he stays or goes.
More must-reads: