Lakers' Alex Caruso Skipped Sister Megan's Wedding to Stay in NBA Restart Bubble

Faced with the dilemma of leaving the NBA campus to attend his sister's wedding or remain in Florida, Los Angeles Lakers guard Alex Caruso chose to stay with the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Per ESPN's Zach Lowe, Caruso explained why he decided two days before the July 18 ceremony for his older sister, Megan, to stay with the Lakers.

"If I was on a team that didn't have title aspirations—a team trying to hold on to the No. 8 seed or something—it might have been different," he said. "But we have worked too hard."

Caruso did note he received support from Lakers teammates, including LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and coaches to attend the ceremony if he wanted to do so.

"They supported my decision either way," the Lakers guard said. "They also helped me realize how important I am to what we are trying to do here, now that [Avery Bradley] didn't make it and [Rajon Rondo] hurt his hand. There is some added responsibility."

Under the NBA's guidelines, anyone who leaves the campus without receiving preapproval from the league has to quarantine for at least 10 days upon returning. 

Players and staffers who receive approval to leave for extenuating circumstances are only subject to a four-day quarantine upon returning, as long as they are tested for the coronavirus each day they are away from the campus and those tests return negative. 

Caruso told Lowe that Lakers officials, based on their conversations with the NBA, likely would have had him quarantine for 10 days upon returning because of the rising coronavirus numbers in Texas, which is where the wedding was.

Even though Caruso wasn't there in person, he said those who did attend recorded "basically the whole event" and sent him the videos. 

A key bench player for head coach Frank Vogel, Caruso has appeared in 58 games for the Lakers this season. The 26-year-old posted 5.4 points, 1.8 assists and 1.9 rebounds per contest. 

The Lakers will begin their three-game scrimmage schedule Thursday against the Dallas Mavericks. Their first game when the season resumes will be July 30 against the Los Angeles Clippers.