Are the Bulls Done with Kris Dunn?
With Coby White officially joining the team as well as the continued search for a veteran point guard in Free Agency, Kris Dunn is running out of time.
After a career year following the Jimmy Butler trade, Kris Dunn seemed to have the potential to become the franchise point guard the team has been searching for since Derricks Rose’s departure. Just a year later, fans have flipped the script.
Dunn is a wanted man, and some would like to see him gone by any means necessary. However, the reality is that he isn’t going anywhere–at least this season. The Bulls attempted to shop him in February but found no takers. Although he is 25, Dunn will be in his 4th season and provides more upside to the Bulls than actual trade value. The best way to maximize that potential would be to make Kris Dunn the lead-guard off the bench.
In the 2017-2018 season, Kris Dunn burst out of his terrible rookie year with 13 points per game, 6 assists, and 2 steals per contest. His usage–the amount of time a player is used with the ball in his hands–was at a career-high 24.7%. Kris was the ball-dominant guard with Zach LaVine recovering from his ACL surgery and he thrived. While his offensive game statistically struggled, he canceled it out defensively. It all changed this year with a healthy LaVine.
Dunn’s usage dropped to 20% this season, his assist ratio dropped, and he attempted less threes per game. This became clearer as the season progressed as he would pass up wide open 3s to take a mid-range jump shot. Overall, the Chicago Bulls were +1.8 points per game better when Dunn was off the floor. His defense began to no longer make up for his struggling offensive game. His 3 point percentage went up, but we weren’t taking more than 2 threes a game. That’s hard to work with as a starting PG.
Introducing another ball-dominant guard alongside Dunn seems to have clearly stunted his growth as a player. He is more confident and overall better when he controls the floor and isn’t being forced to spot up off-ball.
Giving Kris the keys to the bench would allow him to become that ball-dominant guard again. He can get to his spots, drive and kick, etc. He can control the offense. He would thrive and potentially grow as a player if the Bulls give him the opportunity.
If the Bulls want to find value in Kris Dunn, their best bet is to give him a shot as the 6th man.
Featured Image: Twitter.com/TheVikingsPhan
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