Alex Caruso signs a 4-year, $81M extension with the Thunder

Oklahoma City have now secured a two-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection for the future, as they’ve signed Alex Caruso to a four-year, $81 million extension that should go through the 2028-29 campaign. The information, confirmed by the player’s agent Greg Lawrence, did not specify the contract’s terms. 

This deal means that the 30-year-old will be kept out of free agency while he remains under a $9.9 contract this season. The star had become eligible for an extension this past Saturday, and the Thunder wanted no time.

The experienced guard arrived in Oklahoma during the summer in exchange for Aussie Josh Giddey as a highly coveted supporting cast player. However, in just two months he’s proved to be essential for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, as he can effortlessly impact both sides of the floor.

I asked Mark Daigneault about what he likes most about what Alex Caruso brings to the table off the bench for the Thunder.

Mark went on to compliment Caruso’s energy, unique skillset and discuss the sort of attributes that he likes in players coming off the bench. pic.twitter.com/l0JzF8KyNZ

— Michael Martin (@MichaelOnSports) December 22, 2024

During a recent interview on The Stein Line, he revealed his intentions. “Obviously this is a place that I think is ascending and that’s something I want to be a part of,” the player told Jake Fischer. “That’s why I’m here. I think the writing is on the wall. People don’t trade for guys in the last year of their contracts unless they expect to keep ’em for a while.

“That’s just the business part of it. So I’m looking forward to having that conversation with [general manager] Sam [Presti]. Everything that the Thunder stand for are things that I stand for. I think their focus, their drives and desires, are the same as mine. It’s been a good fit and I’m looking forward to hopefully a couple more years.”

Caruso went unselected in the 2016 NBA Draft, as curiously enough, he began his career as a professional basketball player as a member of the Thunder’s training camp, playing for the OKC Blue, the club’s G League affiliate. He then went on to play four seasons for the Lakers, where we won the 2020 title, and then three more years in Chicago.

How has Caruso fitted in the Thunder’s successful start of the 2024-25 season?

In his first two months with the Thunder, he’s teamed up with Lu Dort and Cason Wallace as the best defensive squad in the NBA, giving stars like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams the liberty they need to provide offensive power.

“We’re a young team and a lot of times in the league you have to earn your stripes. You really don’t get given anything,” Alex shared recently. “For us, it isn’t about how loud you are. It’s about getting the job done.”

Caruso has been averaging a career-high 1.9 steals so far this season, as well as 5.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists. The Thunder are currently sitting at the top of the Western Conference with a 22-5 record.