Apr 12, 2021; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Alex Caruso (4) at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Magic Johnson Tried to Block Lakers From Losing Alex Caruso

Originally posted on Los Angeles Lakers on SI
By Ricardo Klein | Last updated Jun 12, 2025 5:32 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers have had quite the half-decade so far.

It started off with a bang in 2020 when they captured their 17th title in franchise history. The 2019-20 team was stacked. They entered the season as one of the favorites to win it all after acquiring Anthony Davis in the summer of 2019, and they ended up being the last team standing that season thanks to Davis and LeBron James.

Although that 2020 team doesn't get the credit they deserve, there is no doubt about the talent and supporting cast on that roster.

Many shined in their role, but none may have impacted the game more than former Lakers guard Alex Caruso. Caruso was a difference maker for the purple and gold. He was a standout for the team during their title run and indeed the season that followed.

However, he entered free agency as an unrestricted free agent after the 2020-21 season and ultimately signed with the Chicago Bulls.

To this day, it's still one of the more baffling moves the Lakers have made. During a recent appearance on ESPN’s First Take, Lakers legend and Hall of Famer Magic Johnson revealed that he pushed hard behind the scenes to convince the organization to retain Caruso.

"The thing that hurt the Lakers the most was losing KCP, and then, we're watching the other guy for Oklahoma City right now in Caruso," Johnson said. "They were our best on-ball defenders, and I told them that. I said, 'Listen, if you're going to lose KCP [because] he signed for more money, but you gotta keep Caruso.'"

Magic Johnson says he told the Lakers to keep Alex Caruso after losing KCP.

(via @FirstTake, h/t @Klutch_23)pic.twitter.com/1dvCHuY7FE
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 12, 2025

Caruso’s trademark hustle, grit, and defensive intensity played a huge role in the Lakers’ championship run — and now, those same qualities could very well help the Thunder capture one of their own.

The 31-year-old was open to a return to Los Angeles, but a combination of cap constraints, tax penalties, and what felt like a lack of real appreciation from the front office ultimately closed that door. Since his departure, the Lakers have struggled to recapture the toughness and edge that Caruso naturally brought every time he stepped on the court.

Though Johnson did everything he could to offer the Lakers sound advice, he was no longer part of the front office at the time. He served as the team’s president of basketball operations from February 2017 to April 2019 before stepping down unexpectedly. His stint was defined by both vocal support for the franchise and behind-the-scenes friction that ultimately pushed him to walk away.

Still, Magic remains a Laker in every sense — and whether he holds an official title or not, his voice continues to carry weight with the organization and its fan base.

Letting Caruso walk has proven to be a costly mistake, and the effects of that decision are still being felt.

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This article first appeared on FanNation All Lakers and was syndicated with permission.

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