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Chicago Bulls: Kris Dunn flourishing in starting role

By James D. Tillman III

CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 4: Kris Dunn #32 of the Chicago Bulls shoots the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers on December 4, 2017 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 4: Kris Dunn #32 of the Chicago Bulls shoots the ball against the Cleveland Cavaliers on December 4, 2017 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Kris Dunn is quietly making a case to be the Chicago Bulls’ starting point guard of the future.

Chicago Bulls guard Kris Dunn was one of the three players acquired in a draft-night trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves. While Dunn was the No. 5 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, his rookie campaign didn’t go the way he had hoped.

In 78 appearances, Dunn compiled pedestrian averages of 3.8 points, 2.4 assists and 2.1 rebounds in 17.1 minutes per contest. On top of that, he shot 37.7 percent from the field, including an abysmal 28.8 percent from 3-point range.

If those stats weren’t bad enough, Dunn also converted only 61 percent of his attempts from the charity stripe — not the kind of numbers that scream “star in the making.”

In spite of the underwhelming numbers, Dunn was a player the Bulls coveted when he came out of college and a year later, they got their man. Sure, things didn’t go well for Dunn early on.

He played in just one of the team’s Summer League tournament games and was forced to miss the first four games of the season with an injury to his index finger. As a result, Jerian Grant was awarded the starting point guard spot, even though Dunn is considered the better defender of the two players.

Although he didn’t initially receive the playing time he desired, Dunn continued to stay positive until he was given a chance to showcase what he can bring to the table on a nightly basis. The opportunity came about two weeks ago when Dunn played 27 minutes in a road game against the Phoenix Suns.

In that contest, Dunn scored 17 points to go along with six assists, six rebounds and two steals.

Following that performance, Dunn was inserted into the starting lineup and has made head coach Fred Hoiberg look like a genius in the process, as he scored in double figures in two of the next four outings and finished the month of November with two very strong performances. In the Bulls’ home loss to the Suns on Nov. 28, Dunn posted a career-high 24 points, handed out eight assists and grabbed five rebounds.

Two nights later, Dunn was one of the best players in a Bulls uniform, as he chipped in with 19 points, five rebounds and five assists. Furthermore, the second-year guard shot a very efficient 9-for-11 from the field and converted his lone 3-point attempt, nearly leading the Bulls to a much-needed victory against the Denver Nuggets.

Unfortunately, the Bulls were unable to seal the deal and the Nuggets escaped with a come-from-behind 111-110 victory. It is also worth mentioning that Dunn committed just one turnover in that game against the Nuggets, which marked just the third time this season he has turned the ball over only once – a huge positive considering he averages 3.1 per contest.

Just for good measure we can include Dunn’s contributions in the Bulls’ recent blowout loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers that extended their losing skid to nine games. In that contest, Dunn led Chicago with 15 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Although Dunn appears to be heading in the right direction, Hoiberg knows that he needs consistency from his young point guard.

"“He has to utilize his skill set; he’s an attack player,” Hoiberg told NBA.com. “He has to get into the paint and make plays and he’s got to have a consistent effort on defense and we talk about it all the time. When he gets deflections, when he gets steals he tends to have a good offensive game as well. The biggest thing is the overall consistency.”"

Through the first 22 games of the season, Dunn has started nine games, which already exceeds his seven appearances in the starting lineup from a year ago. Even more important, he’s averaging 11.8 points, 4.7 rebound, and 4.4 assists per contest on 43.1 percent shooting overall and 43.2 percent from distance – all of which are noticeable improvements from the numbers he posted during his rookie season in Minnesota.

How is that for consistency?

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Since Derrick Rose’s ACL injury back in 2012, the point guard spot has been a revolving door over the past few seasons. But if Dunn continues to prove that he can be effective at both ends of the floor, perhaps Hoiberg will finally have the point guard he envisioned when the Bulls lured him away from the collegiate ranks back in 2015.

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