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Before the Oklahoma City Thunder extended their winning streak in a 123-105 victory against the Washington Wizards, Alex Caruso addressed his four-year, $81 million extension. The Thunder wasted little time in offering Caruso a long-term deal. Two days removed from his December 21 deadline, stemming from his trade from the Chicago Bulls, the All-Defensive guard is committed to Oklahoma City for the foreseeable future.
Before facing the Wizards, Caruso shared his excitement with Thunder reporters at the team shootaround.
“I’m excited. The organization, the team, and the city are everything. I’m kind of looking for [in] a long-time partner,” Caruso said. I’ve been excited & ecstatic with the first couple of months I’ve been here. Hopefully, we can find some success to back that up, with the contract. But really just excited to continue the partnership with being in this organization. It’s been great so far, looking forward to the future.”
Caruso’s championship pedigree bodes well for the young Thunder team with championship aspirations. He’s adapted seamlessly to his new defensive-minded teammates in the backcourt, including Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, and rookie Ajay Mitchell off the bench.
With a league-leading 102.9 defensive rating, Caruso’s impact contributed to the Thunder’s emergence as the NBA’s best defensive team in 2024-25. The Thunder also led the Western Conference with a 23-5 record.
Alex Caruso agrees to four-year, 81 million extension with Thunder
After Oklahoma City Thunder veteran Alex Caruso revealed how he relates to Lu Dort, he committed to remaining one of the longest-tenured Thunder players’ teammates through 2029. The Bulls traded Caruso to Oklahoma City in exchange for Josh Giddey when he entered the final year of his current deal. By avoiding his impending free agency, OKC stabilizes one of the most versatile backcourts in the NBA.
Led by All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who scored 41 points on 14-for-25 shooting and 3-of-6 from deep in Tuesday’s win against the Wizards, the Thunder remain the most dominant team in the Western Conference. Before facing the Magic, Caruso discussed how much he relates to Dort’s journey.
“Lu kind of had a similar path to me where he kind of had to go two-way and earn it, and now he’s turned himself into one of the most reputable defenders in the league where people know who he is and what he stands for,” Caruso said. “So, just the confidence and the level of swagger, whether offensively or defensively, that he plays with goes a long way with the team.”
Caruso is averaging 5.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.9 steals in 20 games this season.
