puis dans la liste qui s’affiche, cliquez sur AdBlock
Par Pierre-Andréa Fraile | Journaliste sportif
Since joining the Lakers in 2018, LeBron James has rubbed shoulders with dozens of players, some of them with glittering names and honors. One of them, virtually unknown before playing alongside him, has made a very strong impression.
In all likelihood, the list will continue to grow over the coming weeks. LeBron James is set to welcome new partners to the Lakers this summer, and with good reason. His current supporting cast clearly failed to deliver during the playoffs, as evidenced by their elimination in the first round. Reinforcements therefore seem imperative if he is to dream of another title.
However, the current Angelino squad is not all doom and gloom. Luka Doncic, who arrived during the season from Dallas, looks set to continue his career in Los Angeles. A soldier like Dorian Finney-Smith, also recruited a few months ago, should also be retained. However, many more will be needed if the King is to return to the spheres he last touched in 2020.
LeBron James’ declaration of love for an ex-teammate
Supported by Anthony Davis in the Orlando bubble, LeBron was also able to count on other valuable allies such as Rajon Rondo, Danny Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, Dwight Howard and… Alex Caruso. Now a member of the Thunder, Caruso should prove invaluable to his team in the upcoming Finals. At least, that’s what James expects, declaring in Mind the Game:
LeBron James: And then coming off the bench, OKC has one of my favorite teammates in my career, Alex Caruso, who for me is the ultimate Swiss Army knife. Since the start of the postseason, we’ve literally seen him defend on Giannis, Jokic, Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle and Jamal Murray.
Despite his ordinary looks, Caruso can make life difficult for any opposing player, including the most talented… and robust.
Despite being 15 centimeters smaller away from Nikola Jokic, he managed to make things difficult for the latter thanks to his admirable efforts. According to his former leader, however, it would be a mistake to reduce him to a mere defender:
LeBron James: After one game, AC may only have 5 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists, but his +/- will be a goddamn +17.
The 31-year-old guard can therefore do his team more than one favor, as he has been shooting 8.8 points per game and 41.5% from 3-point range since the start of the playoffs. So it’s best not to leave him free up front, or risk paying a high price. Given this description, it’s hardly surprising that LBJ has fallen under his spell.
