National Basketball Association

Alex Caruso helps Chicago Bulls beat Los Angeles Lakers in emotional return to Staples Center

Updated Nov. 16, 2021 3:33 p.m. ET

By Melissa Rohlin
FOX Sports NBA Writer

The Los Angeles Lakers honored Alex Caruso with a video tribute in his first game against his former team Monday, sending nearly 19,000 fans at Staples Center into a roaring standing ovation when a montage of his greatest moments played in the first quarter.

Caruso, who joined the Chicago Bulls last summer as a free agent, responded by raising his right arm into the air and pounding his heart. He then started clapping, thanking a fan base that adored him over his four seasons with the team.

"It was a little surreal," Caruso told FOX Sports in an exclusive interview after the Bulls' 121-103 win. "It's the first time I've walked out on [the other] side of the tunnel."

Caruso's reason for leaving the Lakers was simple: The Bulls offered him more money. They were willing to give him $37 million over four years, while the Lakers offered $21 million over three, as reported by The Athletic.

So far, everything has worked out in his favor. The Bulls have taken the league by surprise, jumping to the second-best record in the Eastern Conference (10-4). Meanwhile, the star-studded Lakers have stuttered to seventh (8-7) in the West.

For Caruso, the reason the Bulls are having so much success is simple.

"We've got a bunch of people with stuff to prove," he said.

There's Zach LaVine, who has never made it to the playoffs in seven NBA seasons. There's DeMar DeRozan, who acknowledged Monday that he has a chip on his shoulder because "people said I was washed for the last two years" with the San Antonio Spurs. And there's Lonzo Ball, who went from being pegged as the Lakers' savior when they selected him as the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft to being shipped to New Orleans a couple of years later so Los Angeles could acquire Anthony Davis.

As for Caruso, he has had to scrap and claw his entire career. He was undrafted out of Texas A&M in 2016. He had to prove himself in the G League. He then turned a two-way contract with the Lakers into a standard, two-year, $5.5 million deal by playing hard-nosed defense and leaving his heart on the court in every moment.

"Thirty-two teams thought I wasn't good enough to play in the NBA," Caruso said, apparently so upset by the slight that he invented two extra teams. "That's something I've just carried with me every game that I play. I try to go out there and prove that I'm supposed to be there."

The Caruso effect is undeniable. He does the small things that don't show up in stat sheets but greatly impact games.

On Monday, he had zero points on 0-for-1 shooting, six rebounds, five assists and two steals in 34 minutes in his second start of the season. He also had the second-highest plus-minus of anyone on the court (+28) because he altered shots, hustled, dived for loose balls and helped make life difficult for the Lakers.

Frank Vogel called Caruso one of his favorite players he has ever coached.

"How do you not love a guy that plays as hard as Alex Caruso does? He represents all of the right things," the Lakers' coach said before lamenting why the team lost him. "But this is a business, and tough decisions have to be made with the cap. You’d love to keep all of your guys every year, but it’s just not always possible."

The Lakers' loss has been the Bulls' gain.

Entering Monday's game, Caruso had more steals (33) than all the Lakers' reserves combined (30), according to StatMuse. He's now tied for second in the league with 2.5 steals per game, trailing only Chris Paul (2.6).

DeRozan said Caruso is so smart that he could be a head coach in the league right now. Ball, who played alongside Caruso on the Lakers from 2017 to 2019 before they were reunited this season on the Bulls, said Caruso's work ethic is what separates him.

"He's one of the best teammates I've ever had," Ball said. "It's kind of hard not to root for AC. His story is great. And obviously, he plays hard every possession he's on the court. And he's a great guy off the court as well. There's really nothing not to like about him."

A lot of players who do the so-called dirty work are beloved by their teams, but they're often underappreciated by fans because their stats aren't eye-popping. Yet Caruso quickly became a fan favorite during his time with the Lakers.

He'd often hear "MVP" chants from the crowd. He finished fourth among guards in the All-Star fan vote in 2020, ahead of Russell Westbrook and Stephen Curry. And even though Caruso was wearing a Bulls jersey Monday, when his name was announced among the starting lineups, he received a reception just as raucous as that of any of the home team's starters.

Caruso managed to not get choked up Monday. But he acknowledged that when he watched the Lakers' video tribute, the memories came rushing back.

He made a name for himself with the Lakers. He won a championship with them in 2020. He earned the respect of his teammates and coaches, so much so that LeBron James, who missed his seventh straight game Monday because of an abdominal strain, walked onto the court wearing street clothes and gave Caruso a hug while fans stood and cheered for him.

That gesture meant a lot to Caruso.

"When you're chasing a championship together, there's a special bond that you create going through adversity, finding your way together," he said. "Just the admiration I have for him as a player, as a person, for him to show me that love just doubles down on the relationship we have."

Even though the Lakers weren't willing to pay the price to keep him, Caruso said he doesn't harbor any hard feelings against his former team. And he said he didn't feel like he had anything extra to prove Monday.

"I don't think it's anything ill-willed," Caruso said. "When I'm out there, it's more about me and my team, rather than what the other team has done or anything that's transpired."

He was even quick to defend the Lakers, despite their rocky start.

"If I know anything about playing here for the last couple of years, it's that Frank is going to tirelessly work to figure it out," he said. "And they've got some of the best minds with LeBron and [Rajon] Rondo and their coaching staff. They're going to do just fine down the road."

But right now, it's the Bulls who are shining.

DeRozan had his fifth 30-point performance of the season Monday, finishing with 38 points on 15-for-23 shooting. Ball had an incredibly efficient 27 points on 10-for-13 shooting, including going 7-for-10 from beyond the arc. LaVine added 26 points.

As for Caruso, he did what he does best. He played great defense and gave 100 percent effort, two areas in which the Lakers have struggled in his absence.

It has all been a winning combination for the Bulls, whose players are trying to snap the narratives that have haunted them.

Not good enough? Can't win in the postseason? Cast aside? Washed? Not worth the money?

There are so many storylines to choose from. Together, they're embracing all of them.

"We're all just pushing together in the same direction," Caruso said. "And it's working."

Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @melissarohlin.