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Chicago Bulls Predictions: Alex Caruso will be the 2022 Sixth Man of the Year

By Thomas J. Brown

Jan 8, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) moves to the basket against Los Angeles Lakers guard Alex Caruso (4) during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 8, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine (8) moves to the basket against Los Angeles Lakers guard Alex Caruso (4) during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls Mandatory Credit: Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports /

Why Alex Caruso will win Sixth Man for the Chicago Bulls: 2. He’s an improving 3-point shooter

Many pundits point to J.R. Smith’s 2013 campaign with the New York Knicks as the season that gave birth to the popular “Three and D” player in today’s league. Like Caruso, Smith was an athletic wing who could finish above the rim and knock down open 3-pointers if his defenders backed away from the ball. Smith went on to help the Knicks win 54 regular-season games and walked away with the Sixth Man of the Year Award in the process.

Last season, Alex Caruso shot a career-high 2.4 3-point attempts per game. He was able to knock them down at a rate of 40.1 percent. Chicago Bulls’ head Coach Billy Donovan is known for his “pace and space” style of play. If Caruso can prove to be a reliable 3-point shooter, Coach Donovan will definitely find minutes for him on the floor.

It’s no secret that in the modern NBA, outside shooting is more important than ever. Zach LaVine is a much improved 3-point shooter. Nikola Vučević is one of the best shooting big men in the NBA, and Lonzo Ball’s improvement from the outside is well-documented. However, the Bulls are still in need of a consistent outside threat in the second unit. If the trend from last season continues, Alex Caruso will be the right man to fill that void for the team next season.

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