Report: Lakers acquisition of Russell Westbrook ‘could be the end of the Alex Caruso era in Los Angeles’

The Los Angles Lakers acquisition of former MVP Russell Westbrook caused shockwaves across the league on Thursday.

However, some Lakers fans won’t be thrilled to learn that the dynamic trade may be the conclusion of guard Alex Caruso’s tenure in Los Angeles.

“This could be the end of the Alex Caruso era in Los Angeles,” said CBS Sports’ Bill Reiter. “Sort of a cult figure here in L.A., an unrestricted free agent. This source tells me that not everyone in that Lakers organization is enamored with Caruso as some of the other folks that sit in the stands and cheer him on. With Westbrook there now, he could be superfluous.”

Caruso, 27, is one of the most beloved players on the Lakers’ roster.

As a matter of fact, he’s a fan favorite across the league. The defensive-minded guard garnered significant All-Star consideration from fans last year.

The 6-foot-4 pro collected 6.4 points, 2.9 boards and 2.8 assists per game last season. He’s known for being a hustler and scrappy defender.

The Texas A&M University product recently got arrested in Texas for possession of cannabis, which sparked headlines all over the NBA world.

The Lakers were eliminated in six games in the first round of the 2021 playoffs. The team has shown an austere willingness to revamp the roster in an effort to return to contention next year.