OKC Thunder guard Alex Caruso has been a cheat code this year. He leads the team with a 22.0 net rating, 3.4 points higher than the next closest.
In short, the Thunder are at their most dominant when he is on the floor.
And yet, despite this, he is averaging just 18.2 minutes per game.
One might wonder why such an effective player would be playing so little, but when you use last year as a frame of reference, the answer is clear.
Thunder know exactly what they are doing with Caruso
Last season, Caruso averaged a similar 19.3 minutes per game. He averaged a rather pedestrian 7.1 points per game in those minutes while playing his usual stingy defense.
During the playoffs, however, his minutes bumped up to 24.4, and he scored 9.2 points per game while taking his defense to another level.
With such a usage difference between the regular season and the postseason, it's obvious that the Thunder's yearly plan is to hide his talents until the playoffs.
At 31, Caruso is at a different stage in his career than his teammates. Earlier this year, during an appearance on The Young Man and the Three, fellow guard Cason Wallace recounted his first impressions of the veteran. He thought the veteran was "scared to play" in their preseason pickup games when he consistently declined the invitation.
Forward Jaylin Williams chimed in as well, mentioning how he would talk trash to Caruso upon his decision. He said the guard's response was always the same:
"Do y'all want me now, or do y'all want me in June?"
It turns out Caruso had a point. His points per game, field goal percentage, three-point percentage, rebounds, steals, and blocks all increased from regular season to postseason in 2024-2025. Meanwhile, his defensive rating was 0.8 points lower.
Caruso was truly a saving grace for the Thunder in their title run. He did everything it took to win ballgames, including guarding superstar Nikola Jokic, registering 20-point games in two different series, and recording three or more steals in nine different games over the course of the Thunder's title run.
Thunder can't wait to unleash Alex Caruso come playoff time
If Thunder fans thought last year's version of "Playoff Caruso" was elite, they should be champing at the bit to see what he can do this time around.
With a net rating that is seven points higher than last year, it appears the spark plug has been even more impactful off the bench in his second season with the team.
When the Thunder fully unleash him again come playoff time, opponents will have to deal with a defensive guru who is even more of a game disruptor than he was last year.