Alex Caruso - Oklahoma City Thunder
Season Stats: 5.8 PPG, 2.8 REB, 2.6 AST
Accolades: 2x All-Defense
Alex Caruso lit the NBA world on fire with his pyrotechnic display in Los Angeles during his time with the squad. LA snagged Caruso as an undrafted free agent and the A&M product quickly made a name for himself as one of basketball's premier defensive specialists.
Limited offensively, but far from a liability, Caruso was a key acquisition for Oklahoma City off the bench this year. He plays with his hair on fire every time he steps on the floor, so it's no wonder why he's... well... bald. But when he's not busy hunting rascally rabbits, Caruso hunts the best offensive player on the floor with one sole purpose in his heart: to stop that man at all costs.
The Lakers let the Carushow leave for nothing at the end of his first contract, and I'm sure they kick themselves over this one frequently.
Josh Hart - New York Knicks
Season Stats: 14.0 PPG, 9.6 REB, 5.6 AST
When Kobe Bryant implored Kanye West to become the same beast and a different animal, Josh Hart clearly took that message personally.
A graduate with high honors from the school of glue guys, Hart leaves every ounce of his essence on the basketball court every time he plays. It's one of many inexplicable reasons why Tom Thibodeaux plays the former Laker for 90 minutes a game.
Every loose ball, Hart is on top of it. Every defensive rebound, it's his. And even as a scorer, Hart continues to grow and expand his game. Is he the greatest athlete? No, and he's probably not even one of the more naturally talented players on his team, but his Lamborghini motor within his Volkswagen Rabbit frame makes Josh Hart the hardest-working player—the one who wants it the most.
Russell Westbrook - Denver Nuggets
Season Stats: 13.1 PTS, 5.0 REB, 6.5 AST
Accolades: Too many to list, man.
No player has experienced more career resurgences than Russell Westbrook the Third. The current-day model of Russell Westbrook in Denver is likely giving LeBron and AD migraines after the disaster that was the triple-double man's run in La La Land.
Admittedly, I was a major skeptic of Westbrook's capability as a Jokic sidekick. Though he's proved capable of stepping into a lesser role since leaving the Lakers, his throuple with James and Davis was a disaster as he seemed too hard-headed to change his play style to meet team needs. Clearly, the issue was with LA more than Russ.
Clearly, the issue was with LA more than Russ.
With the Denver Nuggets, Westbrook is once again proving to be one of basketball's fiercest competitors, lovable teammates, and athletic monster. He's meshed perfectly with Nikola Jokic, and the Nuggets are serious title contenders thanks to Westbrook's additional help.
"I tell him to communicate without even saying something," Russ explained about his instant chemistry with Denver's 3-time MVP, Nikola Jokic. "We be thinking the same thing."