Tag: Alex Caruso

Thunder guard and Texas A&M alumnus Alex Caruso rated higher in NBA 2k25 than 2 legends

Ahead of the release for NBA 2k25, player ratings have begun to be revealed and the newest member of the Thunder is ranked ahead of legends.

As one of the best defensive guards in the NBA, Texas A&M alumnus Alex Caruso is well respected by his peers — and deservingly so.

Ahead of the release for NBA 2k25 on Sept. 6, player ratings have begun to be revealed and the newest member of the Thunder is ranked ahead of two future Basketball Hall of Famers.

Caruso was given an 82 rating which ranked him 71st overall in the association. Other players with an identical rating include: Jalen Suggs, Herbert Jones, Jerami Grant, Darius Garland, Ivica Zubac and Jonas Valančiūnas.

The combo guard found himself slotted ahead of five former NBA All-Stars, two of which are arguably first ballot Hall of Famers. Those pair of legends are Chris Paul and Klay Thompson. After Caruso was traded to Oklahoma City in June, the move was compared to when the Golden State Warriors acquired Thompson’s former teammate, Andre Iguodala.

The other three All-Stars ranked behind Caruso, all of which with an 81 rating, are D’Angelo Russell, Mike Conley and Nikola Vucevic.

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ESPN: Thunder’s Alex Caruso receives 3rd-most votes for biggest impact on new team

ESPN: Thunder’s Alex Caruso receives 3rd-most votes for biggest impact on new team.

The 2024-25 regular season kicks off in less than two months, meaning rosters are mostly set for all 30 NBA teams.

ESPN conducted its annual “Summer Forcast” series. The exercise allows its media experts to give their opinions on some of the major storylines for next year.

Among the questions, a first-place vote receives five points, a second-place vote gets three points and a third-place vote gets one.

The Oklahoma City Thunder were mentioned in a couple of polls. They are viewed as a title contender following a first-seed finish last year and a productive offseason.

One specific move received a lot of praise from ESPN’s voters. The Thunder’s acquisition of Alex Caruso from the Chicago Bulls for Josh Giddey was seen as one of the biggest impact additions this offseason.

Caruso received the third-most votes at 31 points. Paul George and Mikal Bridges were the only players ahead of him in the final voting results.

The 30-year-old is a seamless fit with OKC’s starters. He’s a 3-and-D starter who will improve both sides of the floor. Caruso has been an All-Defensive member for the last two seasons.[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

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Alex Caruso to Thunder voted as 2nd-best offseason move in ESPN survey

Alex Caruso to Thunder voted as 2nd-best offseason move in ESPN survey.

The Oklahoma City Thunder had a productive offseason headlined by the additions of Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso.

Both veterans are immediate fixes and add depth to OKC’s rotation. The Thunder enter the 2024-25 season as heavy title favorites. After a first-seed finish last year, expect them to be in that conversation for the foreseeable future.

The Thunder’s addition of Caruso was highlighted in ESPN’s survey of 18 NBA coaches, scouts and executives to gauge what everybody thought of the offseason.

It was voted the second-best offseason move behind Paul George’s arrival to the Philadelphia 76ers. The Thunder acquired Caruso from the Chicago Bulls for Josh Giddey in a rare player-for-player swap.

“Getting him without giving up a pick is crazy,” an East scout told ESPN.

Caruso will likely take over Giddey’s starting spot next season. The 30-year-old is off two straight seasons of All-Defensive honors and is a 3-and-D player who will benefit from OKC’s system.

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Thunder mailbag: Projecting Thunder 2024-25 starting lineup

Thunder mailbag: Projecting Thunder 2024-25 starting lineup.

For the most part, the Oklahoma City Thunder have done their offseason homework. They enter the 2024-25 season as heavy favorites following the additions of Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso.

As the NBA calendar flips to the dog days of the summer, the next couple of months are a perfect time to be retrospective and analyze rosters in detail. In the latest Thunder mailbag, let’s look at the starting lineup for the season opener.

Four players are locks. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams and Lu Dort can be written into the starting lineup in Sharpie. All four were regular starters last season.

Josh Giddey’s departure leaves one vacant starting spot. The popular choices have been Caruso or Hartenstein. Others like Cason Wallace and Isaiah Joe are seen as wildcard options.

The Thunder should likely choose Caruso to start. He’s an easier fit with the starters than Hartenstein. The 30-year-old is a classic 3-and-D player who’s been mostly a starter for the last two seasons with the Chicago Bulls.

It’s a seamless fit. He’ll be a great kick-out option for the drive-heavy Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams. He should also space the floor with his catch-and-shoot abilities.

Caruso has earned All-Defensive honors the last two years, which means his talents are better suited against the opposing squad’s best scorers.

He must equal his minutes with the starters to get the most out of him. It’d be a waste for Caruso to come off the bench and provide lockdown defense against second units.

There is an argument to be made for Hartenstein to start. After all, his best year last season was because he was plugged into the New York Knicks starters after Mitchell Robinson was out.

But he’s more accustomed to being a bench piece. Plus, the fit isn’t as smooth. The lack of shooting could clog up the lanes for Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams.

As great as a two-man frontcourt Holmgren and Hartenstein will be, the 26-year-old doesn’t fit OKC’s 5-out offense. He’s better off being the sixth man and sub into games when Gilgeous-Alexander subs out.

With all that said though, who starts for the Thunder is not nearly as important as who closes out close contests. There will be several instances this season where OKC closes out with Caruso, Hartenstein or even both.

That’s the luxury the Thunder have with their two veteran additions. They provide lineup flexibility they didn’t have last season.

If OKC wants to commit to a perimeter-based lineup, Caruso helps with that. If it wants to go the other way with a jumbo-sized lineup, Hartenstein helps with that.

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Chet Holmgren excited for additions of Isaiah Hartenstein, Alex Caruso

Chet Holmgren excited for additions of Isaiah Hartenstein, Alex Caruso.

The Oklahoma City Thunder had a successful offseason. With over $30 million to spend in cap space, the additions of Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein shore up weaknesses from last season.

After receiving great reviews from pundits, Chet Holmgren stamped his approval on the Thunder’s offseason moves.

In a podcast appearance on “Road Trippin’,” Holmgren told former NBA players Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye why he thinks Hartenstein and Caruso are seamless fits.

“I’m extremely excited. Both very good players with great skill sets,” Holmgren said. “Both have skill sets that complement other skill sets that we have.”

Holmgren also believes both will benefit from their time on the Thunder. They are high-end role players who could see plenty of quality looks because of the gravity OKC’s trio draws.

“We have skill sets that complement what they do too. I think it’s great fits all around,” Holmgren said. “The addition to them opens up more to what we can do.

“Obviously, what we did last year works so I don’t expect us to try to rewrite the whole book this year. You’re always searching to push for your ceiling.”

Instead of sitting on their success from last season, the Thunder took a proactive approach this offseason to strengthen their roster. This has resulted in them being viewed as a title favorite for next season.

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Bleacher Reports grades OKC Thunder 2024 offseason with A

Bleacher Reports grades OKC Thunder 2024 offseason with A.

The calendar will soon flip to August, which means most of the big offseason moves have already been made by NBA teams. Following the draft and free agency, most rosters are set.

This allows Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey to hand out offseason grades for all 30 NBA teams.

As one can expect, the Oklahoma City Thunder had a high result. They had a productive offseason headlined by the additions of Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso. OKC received an A for its efforts.

“The Oklahoma City Thunder may well have had the best offseason in the NBA.

They’re already among the youngest teams in the league and are coming off a first-place finish in the West. This summer, they addressed their glaring weaknesses…

Adding Isaiah Hartenstein gives the Thunder the option to pivot when necessary, and it’s reasonable to believe Hartenstein and the more perimeter-oriented Chet Holmgren can even play together…

The other weakness was Josh Giddey’s struggles as an outside shooter, which made him an easy option to sag off of. Alex Caruso will punish opposing defenses that choose to pack the paint rather than close out to his open catches.”

Bailey even mentioned their draft haul. The Thunder swung with Nikola Topic, who fell in draft boards because of a torn ACL that will keep him out next season. OKC has the luxury of waiting out his recovery.

“Add to those additions the team-friendly contracts for Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, as well the pick of Nikola Topić (perhaps this class’ best playmaker) in the draft, and this is an easy A even though Topić figures to miss this season while recovering from a torn ACL.”

The Thunder entered the offseason with over $30 million in cap space and used it wisely to improve their roster. Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams are on bargain deals for the next two seasons, so they took advantage of the added payroll to spend.

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ESPN’s Zach Lowe loved the Thunder’s offseason, said they improved the most

ESPN’s Zach Lowe loved the Thunder’s offseason, said they improved the most.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have had a productive offseason after becoming the youngest first seed in league history. With over $30 million in cap space, OKC strengthened its roster.

The two big acquisitions for the Thunder were Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein. They are perfect fits into OKC’s rotation and are low-maintenance rotation players who can start or come off the bench,

ESPN’s Zach Lowe has been a huge fan of the Thunder’s offseason. He recently stated they are better positioned than any other team in the league to win right now and in the long-term future due to the amount of assets they own.

On “NBA Today,” he further planted his flag on the Thunder by opinionating they improved the most this offseason.

“It won’t get reflected in their win total because they’ve already won a lot of games, but I think the (Thunder) are indisputably the biggest winner of the offseason,” Lowe said. “Again, they won a ton of games, they were the No. 1 seed last year, I’ll bet they’re going to be the favorites to be the No. 1 seed again.”

Lowe mentioned the additions of Caruso and Hartestein as underrated moves. They complement Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams extremely well.

“Their versatility in the playoffs went up a level by swapping out Josh Giddey and bringing in Alex Caruso — who shot 41% on threes last year and is an All-Defense player,” Lowe said. “And Isaiah Hartenstein just brings a completely new dimension to their team.

“Helps them on the glass, he can play next to Chet Holmgren, he’s a great passer and that fits with Chet. It just gives them different looks, different styles they didn’t have last year.”

Lowe even boldly proclaimed that the Thunder are an immediate championship favorite. They might not have captured sexy headlines, but OKC quietly fixed its holes from last season.

“I think their ceiling got higher, their playoff ceiling got higher,” Lowe said. “The Thunder are here now to try and win the whole damn thing.”

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ESPN’s Zach Lowe impressed with OKC Thunder’s offseason, long-term flexibility

ESPN’s Zach Lowe impressed with OKC Thunder’s offseason, long-term flexibility.

The Oklahoma City Thunder have received ample praise for their offseason. The youngest first seed in league history strengthened their depth with the additions of Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein.

OKC also swung in the draft with Nikola Topic, who was seen as one of the best prospects before he tore his ACL. The Thunder can afford a redshirt year and the risks involved.

More impressively, the Thunder maneuvered and improved their roster without giving up a single first-round selection. This puts OKC in an unprecedented situation where it can spend its wealthy draft capital when needed.

This has caused NBA media pundits to call the Thunder one of the biggest offseason winners. Zach Lowe noted that opposing squads hoped OKC would strike out this offseason with new players.

“The rest of the Western Conference is betting and hoping, crossing their fingers, they strike out,” Lowe said on NBA Today’s free agency special on Sunday.

With the additions of Hartenstein and Caruso, it appears the Thunder have hit a two-out, three-run homer.

Lowe took it further in his latest “The Lowe Post” episode. He noted that the Thunder are better equipped than any team in recent history to compete for a championship both in the short-term and long-term futures.

“I would venture to guess that no team in the history of basketball has been so well positioned for the present and the future at the same time,” Lowe said. “… This moment right now for the Oklahoma City Thunder is the best position any NBA team has ever been in in the modern era…

“Real possibilities in the present and theoretical possibilities and paths in the future. It’s just astounding what they’ve accomplished.”

The Thunder took advantage of their unique opportunity and pounced on their top targets. OKC only gave up Josh Giddey — who was an awkward fit — for Caruso, who is a seamless slide with the starters.

Meanwhile, it took a bit of an overpay to land Hartenstein, but the Thunder could afford it as they entered free agency with over $30 million in cap space to spend.

On top of those two moves, they also signed Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins to team-friendly deals that are easily movable. Those two have played key roles as role players in OKC.

Across the board, the Thunder have had an A-plus offseason. It looks like national media figures like Lowe agree.

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Why the Thunder are the biggest winners of the offseason (so far!) after signing Isaiah Hartenstein

How far can Oklahoma City go next season?

The Oklahoma City Thunder have done a tremendous job, adding the perfect role players to surround their already impressive young core of talent.

After finishing tied for the best record in the Western Conference last year, the Thunder made a solid move to acquire defensive stalwart Alex Caruso from the Chicago Bulls. Oklahoma City also did well in the draft, adding a promising young guard later in the lottery with Nikola Topic.

They have since reportedly signed former New York Knicks big man Isaiah Hartenstein, who had a breakout season in 2023-24. Put it all together and all of these moves are sound, financially savvy, and also address the issues that they ran into during the postseason.

Other organizations pursued bigger stars and made splashier moves than the Oklahoma City front office did so far this offseason.

But those teams will have to clear their books and consolidate their rosters to make room for their new additions, potentially sacrificing necessary depth in the process.

This team had already re-signed important players such Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins, too.

The Thunder still have everyone who played a positive role on their roster but made the right moves around the edges to complement the group that has played so well together. This continuity will keep the chemistry strong as the players continue developing each other.

However, players such as Hartenstein and Caruso will likely increase the overall productivity on both sides of the court as they look to make an even deeper push in the playoffs.

Hartenstein isn’t your traditional star signing that “wins” during free agency. But with his size and skill, he will add a necessary edge as a rebounder and a defender while also profiling with an impressive blend of passing and scoring on offense as well.

Caruso, meanwhile, is one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. He will fit like a glove around Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. It is a good time to invest in Oklahoma City’s future.

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Mark Daigneault reacts to reunion with Alex Caruso on OKC Thunder

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault reacts to reunion with Alex Caruso.

Nearly a decade after their last time together, Mark Daigneault and Alex Caruso were reunited with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Thunder acquired the 30-year-old defensive genius from the Chicago Bulls for Josh Giddey. Caruso returns to OKC after his first big stop was with the G League’s OKC Blue — who were coached by Daigneault at the time.

The reigning Coach of the Year had the chance to react to Caruso’s return. While he acknowledged how full circle the addition is, Daigneault believes his on-court production will match the story.

“He’s gonna have a good impact on the team,” Daigneault said. “He’s a team guy, he’s a competitor. Obviously, we were there together. He was with the organization a while ago.

“But it’s not a nostalgic move. It’s a move about the present team and the future. He’s really excited to be here. He wants to be here. He’s excited to get going with the guys. I think he’s going to really energized with the locker room we have, the group we have and hopefully he add to it as well.”

Lost time between Caruso and Daigneault hasn’t weakened their relationship. The former noted he can’t wait to get yelled at in practice the first time he makes a mistake. The latter jokingly said that sounds about right.

“I’m just getting out in front of potential issues with that,” Daigneault joked. “He’s not bringing an apple to the teacher every day. I don’t know how well he’s branded himself.”

As free agency begins, don’t let the novelty wearing off on Caruso undersell the impact he’ll bring to OKC. He’s a perfect 3-and-D fit who will reinforce both sides of the ball for the Thunder.

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