Without a doubt one of the most crucial and popular role players during LeBron James’ time with the Los Angeles Lakers was Alex Caruso. An undrafted guard, Caruso was the first two-way player in franchise history and eventually parlayed that into a standard contract, becoming one of the most vital players during the Lakers’ run to the 2020 NBA Championship.
Perhaps most importantly was that Caruso clearly had the complete trust of James, which isn’t something everyone earned. And when thinking back on his time with the Lakers, Caruso reflected on when he knew he had earned that trust, via Barstool Sports:
And once that trust was gained, it only made Caruso better as it allowed him to play more freely and not worry about anything else:
Caruso was an absolute beloved member of the Lakers and the same has happened since he signed with the Chicago Bulls in 2021. He is one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA today while also being a solid creator offensively.
Players like Caruso are hard to find in this day and age of the NBA, but he was greatly valued during his time with the Lakers and LeBron clearly had faith in him throughout his time in Los Angeles.
Lakers’ LeBron James reveals when Austin Reaves gained his trust
Since Alex Caruso left in free agency another undrafted, scrappy guard has played a big role for the Lakers over the past couple seasons in Austin Reaves. And like Caruso, Reaves was also able to gain LeBron James’ trust.
LeBron recently discussed this, noting that Game 1 of the Lakers’ first round playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies is when he truly had full trust in Reaves. LeBron also added that he loves seeing his teammates be successful and he knew if he could instill that confidence in Reaves in that moment, it would greatly benefit the Lakers as a team, as well as Reaves moving forward in his career.