Alex Caruso is fully focused on the NBA restart and helping the Los Angeles Lakers win the NBA title in the bubble next October. The Purple and Gold have lost several pieces during the season and Caruso is well aware that the team needs to stay together before the resumption of the campaign.
The reserve guard is committed to the team and he recently demonstrated that by missing a huge family even in order to remain with his teammates at the bubble. His older sister, Megan, got married on July 18 in Austin, Texas, but his brother wasn’t in attendance.
“Megan is as close to my No. 1 fan as anyone could get,” he told ESPN this week.
He was excited about the event, but ultimately, he decided to stay with the squad.
“As the wedding approached and the coronavirus situation in Texas worsened, Lakers officials in talks with NBA staff relayed to Caruso that his quarantine period would likely approach that 10-day threshold, he said,” wrote Zach Lowe of ESPN.
“Caruso and others involved understood that the guidelines mentioned the possibility of 14-day quarantines, though it is unclear what scenario (if any) would trigger a quarantine of that length. (The 14 days appear intended to be reserved for unexcused exits.) Caruso knew that given the Lakers’ title hopes, he would exercise extreme caution upon returning.”
He even asked LeBron James and Anthony Davis before making a final decision and the two leaders of the team showed him their support regardless of his decision.
“They supported my decision either way,” the younger Caruso said. “They also helped me realize how important I am to what we are trying to do here, now that [Avery Bradley] didn’t make it and [Rajon Rondo] hurt his hand. There is some added responsibility.”
Caruso is set to play a bigger role with the Lakers once the league resumes in eight days. Frank Vogel stated that he is the X factor of the team and he’s embraced that role. All jokes and memes aside, Caruso is a very important piece for the Lakers and he’ll show that once the campaign restarts next week.
Curiously, the Lakers face the Clippers in the opening night at the bubble.
