Hello all, I as a fellow Lakers fan, while liking the idea of a Caruso reunion think it’s a bit premature. Especially at this point in the season. The Lakers have NOT gotten to full strength and until Vando comes back that will be the case.
We should assess this team when fully healthy, and to be honest? If we maintain a winning record and top 3 seeding, we may give more than what caruso would give us in regards to team chemistry, etc.
It already looks like Austin is feasting in the second unit. And DLO has been very efficient the last few games.
Our defense will also greatly improve when Vando is back and then we can relegate our 3 and D guys like prince and Rui with the second unit more.
Let’s wait to see where we are at a month before the deadline. Or at the all star break at the very least.
My argument for trading for Caruso is that I don’t trust Vanderbilt in the playoffs. Although he is absolutely ELITE on the defensive end, he provides a lot of problems for us offensively. Caruso would solve the missing piece that Dennis left, as our point-of-attack defender, while being able to play better off ball as well. I would argue that having Caruso would allow for us to roll out a AC-AR-Rui-Bron-AD lineup, which is just a supercharged version of our best lineup in the playoffs last year, Dennis-AR-Rui-Bron-AD. (This is not saying AC > Dennis, but what we need out of that role along the other four guys, he does it better than Dennis or Gabe).