Don’t Give Up on Kris Dunn
During a recent cold stretch, fans have begun to question if Kris Dunn has a future with the Bulls. It’s a question to ponder, but a severe overreaction.
First off, let’s get this out of the way–Kris Dunn isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Prior to the season the Bulls picked up his 4th year team option, keeping him on the roster through 2019 before possibly hitting the free agency pool as a Restricted Free Agent in the 2020-2021 season. He only carries a cap hit of $5.3 million for next year. Salary-wise, Dunn is not an issue. His offense seems to be what turns people away.
His offense is not as bad as it seems. Dunn has come a long way from his rookie year in Minnesota, a season in which he produced an inefficient 4 points per game on 37% shooting. He was labeled a bust and seemingly could not shoot the basketball to save his life. That has significantly changed during his time in Chicago. On the season, Kris is putting up around 12 points a game on 45% from the field. He has also developed somewhat of a 3 point shot, hitting on around 35% of those. Dunn has also become a far better free throw shooter. This is crucial to his game as he has an explosive first step to reach the basket.
Kris has also proven to have a great mid-range game. There is good and bad to having your game revolve around the mid-range. First, the bad news. The mid-range shot is the most inefficient shot in basketball. It’s tougher to make than a layup while being worth the same points, while also being less than a 3 point field goal–This is especially important as the league has become much more oriented around shooters. The good is that Kris Dunn usually gets the job done from the mid. He can score off dribble, catch-and-shoot, if it’s mid-range it’s usually money. He has been off his game as of late which has caused some fans to question if he has a future as the Point Guard of the Chicago Bulls.
When Kris Dunn has an off-night, it doesn’t typically drag down the team. Dunn is not the 1st scoring option on offense. In fact, he could be regulated down to the 4th scoring option with the recent emergence of Chandler Hutchison. Dunn is a pass-first point guard. He looks to make plays for his teammates before himself. Kris is thriving in this role. On the year he is racking up 6.5 assists a night. That’s just scratching the surface though. In the “Greatest Tank Loss of All-Time” versus the Indiana Pacers, Dunn dished out 17–yes, SEVENTEEN–assists. He creates for everybody else on the team. It is a good idea to have a play-making point guard in the back court along with LaVine. The offense gets opened up. There isn’t a problem with LaVine taking more shots than Dunn because Dunn is not the primary scorer. The primary scorers are Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen. Kris recognizes that and plays his best game to help the team.
The biggest reason the Bulls should hold on to Kris Dunn is his defense. Without a doubt, Kris Dunn was the best defender on the team last year. This year it’s a debate between him and rookie Wendell Carter Jr., but the point still stands. Dunn knows where to be, when to be there, and often makes the right play. It’s not by accident that he is tied for 9th in the league in steals per game (1.5). Dunn is good enough on defense to typically mask some of the defensive struggles of back-court-mate Zach LaVine.
I’m not going to sit here and pretend like being a good passer and defender completely makes up for having poor shooting nights, but realizing that you aren’t having a good night and facilitating for others to score helps. Even on good shooting days, Kris still looks for his teammates first. His ability–or inability–to score likely doesn’t hurt the team too much when they’re at full strength.
Look. Players have cold streaks. Especially as young players, they have cold streaks. It happens. The key will be not letting it carry over and affect Dunn’s confidence. I don’t think it will. Kris will get back in rhythm and the Bulls will flourish (At least, as much as this roster can manage to do so).
Dunn will be here for the long haul. Depending on the draft, he could continue to be the starter, or be demoted to a bench role. It all depends on if he can get back to form for the rest of this season. He will.
Tough times don’t last, tough people do.
Featured Image: Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune
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