Player: Alex · Caruso
Team: Thunder
Height: 1.96 m, weight 84 kg, 30 years old
2023-24 Regular Season Stats:
He appeared in 71 games, started 57 times, averaged 28.7 minutes per game, 10.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.7 steals and 1 block, shooting 46.8% from the field, 40.8% from three-point range and 76% from the free throw line.
Shortly after the start of this year's finals, a blockbuster deal was struck. The Thunder traded Josh Giddey to the Bulls and traded 1-for-1 for Caruso. Giddey has one year of 8.35 million left on his contract, and Caruso has one year and 9.89 million left on his contract. Considering Giddey's poor performance in this year's playoffs, as soon as the deal was reached, countless Thunder fans chanted: The team's defense has been upgraded to the championship!
The optimism of Thunder fans is not unfounded. You know, Caruso's defensive ability is obvious to all, and he was selected to the NBA All-Defensive Team in 2022-23 and the NBA All-Defensive Team in 2023-24. Smart, Caruso, White and Holiday are probably the best outside defenders in the league today. There are the top ten defenders in defensive ability last season calculated by the United States media through formulas, and Caruso ranks first among everyone in the league!
Speaking about his new club and looking ahead to the new season, Caruso said: "I think the Thunder's success last season speaks for itself, and it's a tough task to be the number one in the West with so many of the best players in the Western Conference. We added a few players in the offseason and Hatten and I are both great basketball players and fit in really well. We have done a lot of what needs to be done and that will help us succeed. ”
The Thunder reached the Western Conference semifinals last season, can Caruso's arrival help the Thunder challenge for a championship? Everyone is welcome to give their opinions in the comment section.