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Par Mathieu Seguin | Rédacteur sport
In recent years, the Lakers have made many dubious decisions in the marketplace. The one concerning Alex Caruso is no exception, and continues to enrage fans. Proof that Rob Pelinka is far from blameless.
While Rob Pelinka was praised after the Luka Doncic trade, some fans pointed out that this exchange was mostly thanks to Nico Harrison. The Lakers GM was content to go along with him and do what was necessary. The latter is far from unanimous, and some of his decisions continue to haunt fans today.
A few years ago, for example, Pelinka made a lunar decision: to extend Talen Horton-Tucker (who has since fallen off the radar), all the while refusing to give Alex Caruso any more money to keep him in Los Angeles. Fans knew his departure would hurt and wanted the front office to change its mind, but Pelinka never questioned it.
Lakers’ market fiasco highlighted again
The result? The fiasco was indeed a success, as Caruso, wherever he went, was of insane importance. He was adored by the Bulls and is now the Thunder’s joy in the Finals. Better known for his versatility on the floor, he even dropped 20 points in Game 2, allowing Oklahoma City to draw level.
In the end, the most frustrating thing was that this scenario was predictable. Caruso was always a valuable player for the Lakers, but Pelinka obviously never understood. A mistake like any other for the GM, and a huge frustration that continues today. Journalist Sam Quinn recalls that everyone expected such a scenario… except the Angelinos.
@SamQuinnCBS : “Also… every Lakers writer, podcaster, fan, whoever, was SCREAMING that they couldn’t let Caruso go. EVERYBODY knew this was coming. It was not a secret. This was not some jump that came after he left. The only people who didn’t know who Alex Caruso was worked for the Lakers.”
Pelinka and his staff have clearly made a mess of things, and it’s not the first time, nor the last according to some fans. Caruso’s departure continues to hurt, as he would have been ideal to help Luka Doncic and have a real chance of winning the title. So much the better for the Bulls and Thunder, who took advantage of the situation.
