Letting Go of Caldwell-Pope, Green, and Caruso Was the Lakers’ Biggest Post-2020 Mistake, Costing Them Identity and Success
Since winning the 2020 NBA Championship, the Los Angeles Lakers have struggled to recapture the magic that made them so dominant during that historic bubble run. While much of the attention has naturally been on the team’s star power—LeBron James and Anthony Davis—the underappreciated backbone of that title team was its trio of elite role players: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Danny Green, and Alex Caruso. According to ESPN, letting go of this 3-and-D core has been the Lakers’ biggest mistake since 2020, and the evidence suggests that this decision fundamentally altered the team’s identity in the worst possible way.
In 2020, the Lakers were built on a foundation of suffocating perimeter defense, smart rotations, transition efficiency, and timely three-point shooting. Caldwell-Pope, Green, and Caruso each brought specific elements that perfectly complemented the team’s stars. KCP, one of the few consistent three-point shooters on the roster, thrived in his role as a floor spacer who also took on tough defensive assignments. Danny Green, though often criticized for missed shots, was a two-time NBA champion whose playoff experience and elite defensive IQ were vital. And Alex Caruso, a fan favorite, was the gritty, relentless perimeter defender whose energy often shifted the momentum in tight games.
Together, they formed a perimeter defense wall that gave the Lakers a reliable identity: tough, tenacious, and disciplined. In the NBA, it’s common for stars to shine brightest in the playoffs, but what separates champions from contenders is how the role players fill in the gaps. This trio didn’t just fill gaps—they were the glue that held everything together.
After their championship, however, the Lakers made a series of decisions that dismantled this successful formula. Danny Green was traded to acquire Dennis Schröder in the 2020 offseason. On paper, Schröder was supposed to bring a new dynamic to the team—a scoring point guard who could relieve pressure off LeBron and handle the ball. But in practice, his fit was inconsistent, and his defensive contributions never matched what Green provided. The trade-off was offense for defense, and it turned out to be a significant net loss.
Next was the departure of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. In the blockbuster 2021 trade for Russell Westbrook, KCP was included as a key salary-matching piece. Westbrook’s arrival was expected to give the Lakers a third star to lighten LeBron’s burden. What followed was a failed experiment in fit, floor spacing, and defensive cohesion. Caldwell-Pope’s perimeter shooting and point-of-attack defense—vital in championship-level basketball—were sorely missed, particularly as Westbrook’s inconsistent play and ball-dominant style disrupted any rhythm the team tried to establish.
The most painful loss, however, may have been Alex Caruso. In the 2021 offseason, Caruso was up for a new contract. Despite his known importance to the team’s defensive schemes and chemistry, the Lakers chose not to match the modest offer sheet he received from the Chicago Bulls—reportedly due to luxury tax concerns. It was a move that confused analysts and fans alike. Caruso wasn’t just a capable defender—he was arguably one of the best perimeter defenders in the league at the time. His ability to fight through screens, communicate on switches, and dive for loose balls set the tone for the team’s defensive identity. Letting him walk for nothing was viewed as a purely financial decision that undercut any basketball logic.
The pattern that emerges from these moves is clear: the Lakers systematically let go of the very role players who gave them their edge. And while their core stars remained—LeBron James and Anthony Davis—the supporting structure that allowed them to thrive began to crumble. The 3-and-D trio wasn’t just a luxury; they were essential. Without them, the Lakers’ defense slipped from elite to inconsistent. Opponents found it easier to get into their offensive sets, perimeter shooters were less contested, and LeBron and AD were asked to do even more heavy lifting on both ends of the floor.
From a roster construction perspective, the logic behind these decisions might have made sense in isolation. Going after Westbrook was an aggressive play for more star power, and adding offensive talent like Schröder seemed like a necessary adjustment in the face of injuries and declining efficiency. But taken together, these moves signaled a shift away from what had worked. The Lakers sacrificed balance for volatility. They lost depth, defense, and reliability in pursuit of upside, but the gamble didn’t pay off.
Since the 2020 title, the Lakers have been a revolving door of role players. Malik Beasley, Lonnie Walker IV, Rui Hachimura, Dennis Schröder (again), and many others have passed through, but none have been able to replicate the cohesive defensive presence that Caldwell-Pope, Green, and Caruso brought. That’s not to say those players haven’t contributed—they have—but their skill sets don’t fill the same defensive niche. The Lakers have also struggled to develop chemistry, with frequent mid-season trades and signings disrupting any hope of establishing a consistent playing style.
The consequence of all this has been inconsistency. At their best, the Lakers have looked like contenders, with LeBron and AD reminding everyone of their superstar prowess. But at their worst, they’ve lacked the structure and grit to weather adversity. Injuries have played a part, but so has the instability of the roster. Without reliable perimeter defenders, opposing guards have frequently torched the Lakers, and the team’s reliance on switching schemes without defenders who can handle those assignments has backfired repeatedly.
What makes this even more frustrating for Lakers fans is seeing how well those former role players have fared elsewhere. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope became a key contributor on the Denver Nuggets’ 2023 championship team, once again providing spacing and strong defense. Danny Green had stints with multiple playoff contenders, still respected for his savvy and leadership. And Alex Caruso has emerged as one of the best defensive guards in the league with the Bulls, even earning All-Defensive Team honors.
These weren’t replaceable players. They were specialists who performed under pressure and fit perfectly around the Lakers’ stars. In an era where versatility and switchability define great NBA defenses, all three brought exactly that. Losing them didn’t just hurt the team in terms of stats—it took away the championship culture that had been built.
The Lakers’ front office has shown flashes of course correction in recent seasons. The 2023 trade deadline brought in pieces like Jarred Vanderbilt and D’Angelo Russell, and the team made a surprising run to the Western Conference Finals. But even then, the cracks remained. Vanderbilt could defend but couldn’t shoot; Russell could shoot but couldn’t defend. The seamless two-way play that KCP, Green, and Caruso offered has still not been replaced in one complete package.
In hindsight, the Lakers’ biggest error wasn’t just letting go of three role players—it was abandoning the formula that made them champions. In a league dominated by stars, role players win championships. The 2020 Lakers had both. Since then, they’ve only had one half of the equation.
As the franchise looks toward maximizing the final years of LeBron’s career and preserving Anthony Davis’ prime, the lesson should be clear. Role players matter. Defense matters. Chemistry matters. Stars may sell jerseys and headlines, but it’s the guys like KCP, Green, and Caruso—unsung and often undervalued—who bring banners. Letting them go wasn’t just a mistake. It was a fundamental misjudgment of what made the Lakers great.
