The Los Angeles Lakers announced on Friday that Alex Caruso will be out for the team’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans with right calf tightness. The guard played only four minutes in the Lakers’ win over the Phoenix Suns due to complications from the injury.
Caruso has previously missed a game due to a similar calf injury. Lakers head coach Frank Vogel admitted that the calf had been bothering Caruso before the Suns game though he tried to play through it.
Caruso has been an invaluable member of the Lakers rotation despite averaging just 5.4 minutes per game. As the Lakers strive to find a workable guard rotation, Caruso has been one of the most consistent options in the backcourt.
The Lakers will face a streaking Pelicans team now without Caruso meaning they will have to defend the likes of Jrue Holiday, Lonzo Ball, JJ Redick and Josh Hart without the help of one of their best perimeter defenders. That responsibility will now fall on Danny Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Avery Bradley and Rajon Rondo. One of Troy Daniels or Quinn Cook could also see minutes with Caruso out.
The Lakers host the Pelicans at 7:30 PM PST. No word yet on whether Caruso will miss further games with the calf issue.
