Why Alex Caruso Could Have a Career Best Season From 3-Point Range

Oklahoma City’s two offseason acquisitions from a summer ago proved to be two of the biggest in the franchise’s history. Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein aren’t the biggest names or most talented players to ever play for the Thunder, but the addition of those two is the reason Oklahoma City made the jump and hoisted the trophy at the end of the season. It was easy to see the Hartenstein signing coming — the Thunder desperately needed front court depth. But the trade for Caruso was out of the blue, and proved to be the most impactful move of the summer.

Caruso settled into his role and it turned out to be a perfect fit for him in Oklahoma City. It wasn’t smooth sailing from the beginning though, it took him some time to find his groove. Of course the defense and hustle was there no matter what, but his 3-point shot looked way off for the first few months of the season.

His looks were solid and he was taking rhythm triples, but he just couldn’t get anything to fall. Of course, Thunder fans knew not to panic, though. It was his first time playing in a system like Oklahoma City’s, his first few months with the team, and he needed an overall adjustment period.

Post All-Star Break, Caruso looked like one of the NBA’s best snipers from 3-point range. He shot 41% from behind the line and finally came into his own. It was a big boost to the Thunder’s offense, too. In the playoffs, the trend continued, and there’s an argument to be made for Caruso being the Thunder’s most reliable outside shooter. He shot 41.1% from long range on the biggest stage in 23 games.

Now, with a full season under his belt and a completely clean bill of health this summer, Caruso could experience his best shooting season in his career. He has developed elite chemistry with his teammates in Oklahoma City, knows where to be on the floor, and has developed the total confidence to knock down triples. He’s playing completely free.

His best 3-points shooting season in the NBA (minimum 50 games played) came during his last season with the Chicago Bulls, where he shot 40.8% from deep. His post All-Star Break stretch combined with his postseason stretch would pass that, although it’s close. He clearly has it in him to be one of the best shooters on the team — and even in the NBA.

Now that he's settled in and comfortable, there's a real chance he could start the season the way he left off and enjoy a career-best season from the outside.