Latest news with #AlexCaruso
USA Today
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Alex Caruso trolls NFL's Buffalo Bills after being popular answer in social media video
Always quick on his feet, Alex Caruso has shown he can take and dish out jokes. The 31-year-old was a seamless fit in the Oklahoma City Thunder's locker room. That was fully displayed in his first season as he played a vital role in their championship run. The Buffalo Bills hope to do the same. They've been a Super Bowl contender since Josh Allen became the starting quarterback. The perennial contender has kicked off their training camp, along with the rest of the NFL. One of the highlights of the summer event is being asked to answer goofy questions. When several Bills players were asked who the most famous bald person in the world is, a handful answered Caruso. That's funny. Considering the 2025 NBA Finals dominated the sports world last month, the Thunder were likely at the back of their mind when thinking of an answer. This went viral on social media. Caruso responded on X, formerly known as Twitter. The two-time NBA champion wrote: "Toughhh... Go, Houston Texans." Thunder players continue to dominate social media in the boring part of the NBA offseason. You've seen Jalen Williams do it all the time, but Caruso has shown that he can keep up on the platforms despite being jokingly treated like the senior citizen of the second-youngest NBA champion. Caruso grew up in College Station, Texas. He spent four college seasons at Texas A&M before he went undrafted in 2016. It shouldn't be a shocker to see him be a Texans fan considering his background. Both are AFC rivals that hope to have deep playoff runs. Meanwhile, Caruso continues to enjoy his offseason. He hopes to help the Thunder be a rare repeat champion next season. Expect another regular season where his workload is managed to prep him up for another standout playoff run, like we just saw in the past couple of months.
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kendrick Perkins says the Lakers signing Marcus Smart is a better move than the Clippers getting Bradley Beal: "The Lakers haven't had a defender like Smart since Alex Caruso"
Kendrick Perkins says the Lakers signing Marcus Smart is a better move than the Clippers getting Bradley Beal: "The Lakers haven't had a defender like Smart since Alex Caruso" originally appeared on Basketball Network. Some people don't think that the Los Angeles Lakers' addition of Marcus Smart actually makes a difference for them. They say that Smart is no longer the player he once was when he played for the Boston Celtics because of the constant injuries he experienced over the last couple of years since he left Boston. Others say that even if he was, he isn't gifted enough offensively to be a game-changer for the Purple and Gold. ESPN's Kendrick Perkins disagrees. According to Big Perk, Smart is a type of player that the Lakers have not had in the last five years and he fills a current need for the Lakers. "The Lakers haven't had a defender like Marcus Smart since Alex Caruso," Perkins said. "Marcus Smart. Former Defensive Player of the Year, a pitbull, a dog, something that not only Luka needs around him, but also a guy like LeBron James." Perk says Smart moves the needle for the Lakers Caruso, who recently won the 2025 NBA title with the OKC Thunder, played for the Lakers from 2017-2021 and was a member of their 2020 championship team. Although he still wasn't the All-Defensive team player that he is today, Caruso was already the same guy who provided the spark and energy off the bench with his defensive brilliance. Meanwhile, Smart was the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year and a three-time All-Defensive First Team selection, back when he was still playing for the Boston Celtics. However, since Boston traded him to the Memphis Grizzlies in the deal that got them Kristaps Porzingis, Marcus has not looked like the same player again. But Perk insisted with his take. "I don't want to hear this sh-t about that ain't move…that's moving the fu–ing needle. Marcus Smart is moving the needle more for the Lakers than Bradley Beal is moving the needle for the Clippers. And that's facts, because we get caught up with who's scoring the ball," Perkins is still going to be the third option Like Perkins, former Lakers guard Nick Young also doesn't think that Bradley Beal is going to be a needle-mover for the Los Angeles Clippers because, according to Young, he is still going to be the third option there behind Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, so it's not going to be any different from his tenure in Phoenix. "I don't wanna say it's an upgrade, but he's kinda back in the same, similar position. Being the third man once Kawhi comes back. But James (Harden) is more of a point guard. So, definitely he would get the ball," Young said. "I would go there with a chip on my shoulder," he stated. Both the Lakers and Clippers hit the jackpot with Smart and Beal, respectively, especially at the price they got them for. If both can stay healthy, they still have a long way to go with Marcus, aged 31 and Brad, aged 32. But what Perkins is saying is that while Smart may not be a sexy acquisition for the Lake Show, he fits the Lakers just as Beal fits the Clippers, maybe even story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bulls guard ranked among top remaining NBA free agents
Now a few weeks removed from the start of free agency, the dust has settled following an endless flurry of signings across the league. While things have drastically slowed down, there are still some interesting names on the market. Primarily when it comes to restricted free agency. Last offseason, the Chicago Bulls pulled off a trade with the OKC Thunder for Alex Caruso. In exchange for the veteran guard, they nabbed a former lottery pick in Josh Giddey. The dynamic playmaker didn't get to fully showcase his talents on a loaded Thunder roster, but the rebuilding Bulls could give him an opportunity to display his abilities in a featured role. Heading into what could be a contract year, Giddey had a lot riding on performing well in his new situation. He continued to show what an effective all-around talent he could be, averaging 14.6 PPG, 8.1 RPG, and 7.2 APG. Since free agency got underway, Giddey has tried to work out a new deal to keep him in Chicago long-term. However, the two sides have been able to come to terms on an agreement. On top of this, no opposing team has decided to sign the former No. 6 pick to an offer sheet. As a near triple-double threat on a nightly basis, Giddey is a promising young talent at the point guard position. With most of the market dried up, the people at HoopsHype ranked him as the best available free agent. Great playmaker with very good and creative vision. Good rebounder for his position, too. Not the most efficient scorer, though, including with his jumper and around the basket. Makes an off-ball impact on defense, too. Absolutely exploded in the second half of the season for Chicago, which will undoubtedly help his free-agent outlook this summer. The Bulls could be waiting for the market to dictate Giddey's value due to the fact that they can match any offer sheet he signs. This has worked out well for them, as no suitor has come willing to pay top dollar for his services. In the event that Giddey and the Bulls can't work out a new deal, he'll have to play out next year under his qualifying offer before becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The Bulls Have Gotten Laughably Little In Return For Trading DeRozan, LaVine, Caruso, And Lonzo
The Bulls Have Gotten Laughably Little In Return For Trading DeRozan, LaVine, Caruso, And Lonzo originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Take yourself back in time to January 2022, and you'd see the Chicago Bulls sitting atop the standings in the Eastern Conference. With the likes of DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Alex Caruso, and Lonzo Ball leading the way, the Bulls looked like title contenders for the first time in ages. Advertisement Unfortunately, not only would the Bulls fall well short of title contention, but DeRozan, LaVine, Caruso, and Ball have all been shipped out of town just over three years later. To make matters worse, the team has gotten very little for the four of them as well. Chicago Bulls Traded: DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, Alex Caruso, Lonzo Ball Chicago Bulls Received: Josh Giddey, Kevin Huerter, Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Chris Duarte, Isaac Okoro, rights to their own 2025 first-round pick, two second-round picks, cash The Bulls got just one first-round pick in the four trades, and it was their own. Let's take a look at each of these trades. Advertisement The first of those four to be traded was Caruso in June 2024. The Oklahoma City Thunder acquired him by parting with Josh Giddey in a swap that included no draft picks. While Giddey had a promising 2024-25 season for the Bulls, his stock wasn't all too high at the time of the trade. The Australian had just been benched in the playoffs, and it was clear that he was the odd man out for the Thunder. The fact that the Bulls couldn't even get a pick in this deal was quite surprising. What wasn't a surprise was Caruso playing an important role in the Thunder winning the 2025 NBA championship. It's fair to say they won this trade. Just a few weeks after Caruso was moved, DeRozan would join the Sacramento Kings via a sign-and-trade in July 2024. The Bulls only got Chris Duarte, two second-round picks, and cash in return. Even by sign-and-trade standards, that was a poor haul. Advertisement The Bulls were reportedly trying to trade LaVine in that offseason as well, but failed in that quest. They would finally succeed in February 2025, as he was sent to the Kings as part of a three-team deal with the San Antonio Spurs. The Bulls got Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter, and their 2025 first-round pick as part of the deal. They had sent this pick to the Spurs to acquire DeRozan in 2021. At first, it seemed like getting this pick back was somewhat pointless, as it was top-10 protected. The Bulls seemed likely to slide down the standings after trading LaVine to the point where they were going to have one of the 10 worst records in the league. The Bulls would finish 10th in the East, though, and that pick ended up being 12th in the 2025 NBA Draft. They would select Noa Essengue with it, but the Spurs would have been the ones with the opportunity to do so, if not for the trade. So, that was at least one positive here. Advertisement Lastly, we get to Ball, who was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Isaac Okoro on Saturday. It was reported that the Bulls could have gotten a first-round pick for the guard at the trade deadline if they absorbed salary, but opted against that. They now get just Okoro, who averaged a career-low 6.1 points per game in 2024-25. All in all, this is just terrible asset management on the Bulls' part. They were never going to get an incredible haul for any of those four players, but you'd have expected a better return than this. Related: Chicago Bulls Declined Magic's Massive Offer For Coby White This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 29, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Alex Caruso Explains When Stephen Curry Is Most Dangerous; Talks About Guarding LeBron James
Alex Caruso Explains When Stephen Curry Is Most Dangerous; Talks About Guarding LeBron James originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso has established himself as one of the better defenders in the NBA. Caruso gets the hardest assignments on a nightly basis, and during an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show, he spoke about the difficulties when it comes to guarding Stephen Curry. Advertisement "That's the biggest thing that people talk about that I don't know if regular NBA fans understand is like scouting report of him is he's most dangerous when he gives the ball up," Caruso said. "Because even when he comes down, he gives the ball up. Now all of a sudden, they're going to movement. "Him and Draymond are so connected," Caruso continued. "He knows exactly where to go, how to make the reads. And as a defender, I always think that people set illegal screens, and they get away with a couple." Caruso, who has made two All-Defensive teams, stated he doesn't wait for Curry when the former MVP is dribbling the ball up the court. If you don't get close, the Golden State Warriors superstar gets to pick up the pace, and that makes the two-man game with Draymond Green all the more dangerous. Curry ran riot against the Thunder the first time he played against them in 2024-25. He put up 36 points (12-23 FG), five rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and one block to power the Warriors to a 127-116 win. Advertisement Caruso and the Thunder did manage to slow Curry down a bit in the second meeting. The superstar guard had just 21 points (6-15 FG), one rebound, four assists, and one steal, but the Warriors still won 116-109. A playoff series between these teams would have been quite interesting, but we weren't lucky enough to witness it. A matchup between the Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers would have been fascinating as well. It would have pitted Caruso against his former teammate, LeBron James, and he spoke about what it's like to guard the NBA's all-time leading scorer. "He just tries to post me up because he's 6'8," 260 pounds, and that's like 70 pounds heavier than I am," Caruso stated. "I didn't get to guard him when he was like freak LeBron. He's in Year 20-something now, he has a more refined game, but still can go up and play above the rim. "But I've noticed that with me, he goes to the post-game right away," Caruso added. "He's not moving laterally quick enough and downhill quick enough for how I like to guard because I'm going to climb up into the ball a little bit. But once he gets to the post, it's a challenge." Advertisement James averaged 23.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.0 steals per game against the Thunder in 2024-25 when Caruso played. He wasn't quite at his dazzling best, but then again, not many were. The Thunder finished the regular season with a dominant 68-14 record and went on to win the championship. It was Caruso's second title, after winning one with the Lakers in 2020. The 31-year-old made it clear during this interview that he wasn't interested in comparing the two titles and stated they're both the best. Caruso and the Thunder will now aim to repeat as champions, a feat last accomplished by Curry and the Warriors back in 2017 and 2018. They're perhaps the team best equipped among all the champions since then to pull off that feat. Related: Magic Johnson Claims He Warned Lakers Not To Let Alex Caruso Walk This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
