Alex Caruso needs to be a dog on defense. That’s what the Oklahoma City Thunder pay him to do. If he hits a few threes and throws down a few dunks, it’s a bonus. What they need from him is lockdown defense against the best players in the league. But they don’t really need him to do it until the playoffs begin.
The Thunder have put a cast of elite defenders around him, fully capable of taking on big defensive assignments on a night-to-night basis while also carrying the load on offense. Jalen Williams is the perfect example. Lu Dort helps out in that regard as well. That’s without even mentioning the big-man position.
All Caruso has to do is stay healthy until the postseason. That’s when the Thunder will need him most.
How is Alex Caruso doing this season?
Despite the fact that they have played in two double-overtime games already, the Thunder are still one of the best teams in the league. They’ve been incredible to start the 2025-26 campaign, jumping out to a 6-0 start to the season (including those two 2OT wins over the Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers).
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is doing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander things, Williams is still an elite second option, and Chet Holmgren is stepping up to the plate, too. Add in a beautiful cast of role players around them, and the Thunder’s perfect roster-building techniques are clear as day.
And then there’s Caruso. He’s only appeared in three of the Thunder’s six games (he missed some due to concussion protocol), and his minutes aren’t crazy.
Caruso is only playing 23.3 minutes per contest, which is actually up from the 19.3 per game he played last season. Still, for a guy as talented as Caruso, that’s not a ton of playing time.
He’s averaging 5.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists, but his efficiency isn’t great. Caruso is shooting just 26.3% from the floor and 28.6% from deep on 4.8 three-point attempts per contest.
Luckily for him, that’s not what the Thunder need from him. They’ll want him to make shots in the postseason, but his primary job will be to guard. They need his defense.
The regular season is one thing: Caruso will be helpful, but not really an essential part of their every-night rotation, if they choose to rest him throughout the year.
Once the postseason comes around, that will be Caruso’s time to shine.