OKC Thunder Betting on Alex Caruso’s Offensive Improvement

Alex Caruso’s extension shows how much believe OKC has in him.

Dec 19, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (9) reacts after a play against the Orlando Magic in the second quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Oklahoma City traded for Alex Caruso this summer in one of the most unexpected moves of the entire offseason. The Thunder traded Josh Giddey in a surprising deal, and in turn, landed one of the NBA’s best role players.

Giddey saw the writing on the wall in a potential bench role, and the Thunder made the move. Although Caruso and the Thunder are still adjusting to one another, it’s a move that will turn out to be a match made in heaven. And Oklahoma City is clearly planning on that scenario with Caruso’s new extension.

Caruso’s defense has been as advertised with the Thunder — that’s for certain. He has been able to fit right in with Oklahoma City’s elite defensive scheme, and the pairing next to Lu Dort has made it unbelievably hard for opposing squads. He hasn’t even been able to play much with Chet Holmgren, but when they’ve shared the court it has been special.

As a two-time All-Defensive player, Oklahoma City knew what to expect bringing in Caruso. His presence has elevated the Thunder in a serious way. His plus-minus is always one of the highest on the team and his intelligence on the court has been impressive to see. If the offensive side of his game comes around… look out.

Caruso’s offensive output has left a bit to be desired, but with a four-year, $81.1 million contract, Oklahoma City is absolutely betting on his offensive potential. And it’s not even really potential — it’s his baseline. Caruso’s shooting dip has been an outlier over the last handful of seasons in the NBA and Oklahoma City is betting on him returning to his baseline.

On the season, Caruso is averaging 5.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. He’s only shooting 38.5% from the floor and 27% from 3-point range, but that’s exactly why the Thunder are betting on his potential. He has been trending upwards his entire career on offense and peaked last season at 10.1 points per game on 40.8% from long range. He’s also a 37.3% 3-point shooter over the course of his entire career. It’s clear who he is as an offensive player, and how the first half of this season hasn’t fully reflected that.

Now, Caruso is here to stay, and both his defense and offense will be necessary for the Thunder to reach its ceiling. Betting on his offensive game coming around is just another smart business decision by the Thunder, and locking down one of the NBA’s best role players was an obvious move.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Thunder on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Thunder news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.