Why Alex Caruso will win Sixth Man for the Chicago Bulls: 1. Increased scoring opportunities
In 1995, Rasheed Wallace was selected 4th overall in the NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets. That season, ‘Sheed went on to have a solid rookie year, averaging 10.1 points per game. However, an off-season trade sent Wallace to the Portland Trailblazers. Now free from the shadow of Chris Webber, Juan Howard and Rod Strickland, Wallace immediately increased his scoring to 15.1 points per game. While it’s possible that Wallace improved over the summer, the more likely explanation is that the higher frequency of touches he received in Portland led to his increase in productivity.
Fans in Chicago are hoping Alex Caruso can take a similar leap next season. His career scoring average of 6.2 points per game doesn’t leap off of the page, however, Caruso has never been a top-three scoring option on his team. As a member of the Lakers, top billing went to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, while Kyle Kuzma was afforded the left-overs. The primary scorers in Chicago will be Zach LaVine, Nikola Vučević, and DeMar DeRozan, but none of them will be as ball-dominant as the Lakers’ dynamic duo. Chicago’s role players will get a chance to shine. Alex Caruso will capitalize on the opportunity.
Anthony Mason of the New York Knicks is the only player in NBA history to win the Sixth Man of the Year Award while averaging less than ten points per game. He accomplished this in 1995; that’s a long time ago. Alex Caruso has never averaged ten points per game, but his combination of skills and athleticism indicates he’s more than capable of doing so.
With his ability to get into passing lanes, and his knack for knocking down open shots, Caruso will play an important role for a Chicago Bulls team destined to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017. At the end of the season, his consistency will stand out above all other second-unit players in the league. That is why his contributions will earn him the 2022 NBA Sixth Man of The Year Award.