Alex Caruso Newly Eligible For 4-12 months Extension

Precisely six months have handed since then Alex Caruso He was traded from Chicago to Oklahoma Metropolis, that means the growth and commerce restrictions imposed on the veteran guard throughout that half-year window have been lifted.

Caruso is now eligible to signal an extension with thunder A worth of as much as $81,096,960 over 4 years. Earlier than Saturday, the utmost extension was $48,875,400 over three years.

(Associated to: Players eligible for veteran extensions during the season in 2024/25)

speaking to Jake Fisher of the Stein line (Affiliate hyperlink) Caruso admitted he did not notice Saturday was a giant day concerning his contract state of affairs, including that he is centered on serving to the Thunder win video games and compete for a title. However he admitted that “it could be nice” to signal a long-term contract to stick with the top-ranked workforce within the Western Convention.

“Clearly that is the place I believe it is developing and that is one thing I need to be part of.” Caruso informed Fisher. “That is why I am right here. I believe the writing is on the wall. Folks do not commerce individuals within the final yr of their contracts until they anticipate to maintain them for some time.

“That is simply the enterprise a part of it. So I am wanting ahead to having that dialog with (the Thunder normal supervisor) Sam (Presti). Every thing the Thunder stands for are the issues I stand for. I consider their focus, motivations and wishes are the identical as mine. “It was a very good recreation and I am wanting ahead to a different couple of years hopefully.”

Caruso is making $9.89 million within the last season of the four-year, $37 million contract he signed with the Bulls in 2021. He’s eligible to signal for as much as 140% of this season’s estimated common wage ($12.93 million ), which could work. to a first-year wage of $18,102,000, with subsequent annual will increase of 8%.

It is unclear if the Thunder are prepared to stay as much as the max quantity of an extension when it comes to years and {dollars}, however Fisher says Caruso and his camp would “naturally welcome” a mean annual worth of about $20 million per yr.

Whereas the height model of Caruso could also be price that type of funding, he obtained off to a sluggish begin offensively throughout his first season with the Thunder, averaging 5.7 factors per recreation with a capturing line of .385/.270/.778 in his first 19 video games. On the bench (20.2 mpg). The 30-year-old averaged 10.1 PPG on .468/.408/.760 capturing final season. Though he struggled offensively, he was what OKC hoped for as a defender and locker room presence.

“It is only a full workforce. It at all times has been.” Head coach Mark Daigneault he stated, per Fisher. “He is extremely current as a competitor. There’s by no means a time within the recreation the place his toes aren’t on the bottom and he is not centered on the second of the sport and he is additionally on the workforce. I believe over the course of an extended recreation, a number of possessions, over the course of an 82-game season, that Worth accumulates.

If the 2 sides don’t attain an extension settlement through the season, Oklahoma Metropolis will retain Caruso’s settlement Bird rights subsequent summer time, which places the workforce within the driver’s seat to re-sign him to a multi-year deal at that time.