Los Angeles Lakers parted ways with fan favorite Alex Caruso, after four successful years of collaboration. Several reports suggested that the Lakers never got back an offer to Caruso before he signed his four-year deal with Chicago.

The 27-year-old guard entered the market as an unrestricted free agent, and among the 10-plus free agents L.A. had to decide on retaining Caruso.

According to Sam Amick of the Athletic, Caruso side never received a counter offer, after agreeing to a four-year deal worth $37 million with the Chicago Bulls.

(via USA Today):

“In the wake of my report about the Lakers not countering Alex Caruso’s four-year, $37 million offer from Chicago in free agency, a source with knowledge of the negotiations strongly refuted the inference that he wasn’t wanted back. That doesn’t change the fact that Caruso’s side claimed to be confused about the communication element of the negotiation, but it seems the Lakers’ calculus was similar to the one Milwaukee faced with P.J. Tucker.

In both situations, there was a price point that both franchises were willing to go to based on the exorbitant luxury-tax hit that would come their way. And in the end, after initial interest, they simply decided to part ways when the price went too high (in Tucker’s case, he headed to Miami on a two-year, $15 million deal).”

Instead of Caruso, the Lakers re-signed Talen Horton-Tucker, while they added Malik Monk and Kendrick Nunn to beef up their offensive production.