Chicago Bulls point guard Kris Dunn had a successful 2017-18 campaign, but if he wants to continue trending upward, here are three goals he will need to focus on in 2018-19.
When the Chicago Bulls finally decided that it was time to start from scratch, they opted to send Jimmy Butler and the No. 16 pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a 2017 draft-night trade that raised a few eyebrows.
In exchange, Chicago received Zach LaVine, the No. 7 overall pick (Lauri Markkanen) and Kris Dunn. For some diehard fans, this was not a popular move. After all, Markkanen came with plenty of question marks in regards to being able to play with the physicality needed to succeed at the NBA level.
LaVine was coming off an ACL injury and Dunn had a less-than-impressive rookie season in the Twin Cities. While former Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau became a fan favorite during his time in the Windy City, he had also developed a reputation for not giving his rookie players a long leash.
Unfortunately, Dunn found that out the hard way, as he averaged 3.8 points, 2.4 assists and 2.1 rebounds in 17 minutes per contest during his first season in the league. But thanks to a coaching staff that believed he could be counted on to deliver in clutch situations, Dunn flourished in Fred Hoiberg‘s system and eventually cemented himself as the team’s starting point guard, even though he spent the first month of the 2017-18 season playing second fiddle to Jerian Grant.
Now that Dunn has proven that he can play at the NBA level, he has to show that last season was a sign of things to come and not just an aberration. With that being said, here’s a look at three goals Dunn needs to focus on for the 2018-19 NBA season.