Chicago Bulls: Is Kris Dunn their point guard of the future?

The 2018-19 season has been chaotic, yet the Chicago Bulls have collected a young and talented roster. Have they found their point guard of the future in Kris Dunn?

When the 2018-19 NBA season tipped off, the young Chicago Bulls had playoff aspirations in the Eastern Conference. Those aspirations quickly turned into a mere pipe dream, as the Bulls have stumbled to a 10-33 record, tied for second-worst in the NBA with the New York Knicks. Only the Cleveland Cavaliers are worse thus far.

Despite the poor start, Chicago has collected a nice stable of young talent. Lottery selections Lauri Markkanen and Wendell Carter Jr. are surrounded by Zach LaVine and Kris Dunn, to form a “Core Four.” Questions still surround all four players as a unit, but each has seen individual growth as the season progresses.

For Dunn, the question remains: Is he the answer for the Chicago Bulls at point guard?

When the Bulls traded for the former Providence standout, he was coming off a throwaway rookie season with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Tom Thibodeau. Entering the league with lofty expectations as the fifth overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Dunn was expected to supplant Ricky Rubio as the point guard for the T-Wolves for years to come.

That’s not exactly what happened. Instead of lighting up the league, Dunn was a rookie flop. He struggled offensively, averaging just 3.8 points per game on 37.7 percent shooting. He didn’t do much to initiate the offense either, averaging just 2.4 assists in 17.1 minutes per game in his rookie season.

It didn’t take long for the Timberwolves to quickly give up on their young draft pick. On draft night in 2017, the team shipped the 6’4″ guard to the Windy City with LaVine and Markkanen’s draft rights in the Jimmy Butler trade.

Dunn has improved since he arrived in Chicago

Once in Chicago and given more freedom by former coach Fred Hoiberg, Dunn began to show glimpses of his potential. Last season, his first with the Bulls, he averaged 13.4 points and 6.0 assists per game, shooting 42.9 percent from the field.

This season, Dunn is averaging 13.2 points and 6.8 assists a night and his shooting has improved to 47.1 percent. However, it’s still worth asking if his improvement is enough to cement him as the franchise leader at point guard for the Chicago Bulls.

Per 36 minutes, Dunn is averaging 15.7 points and 8.1 assists. From an advanced stats perspective, he’s right at league-average in Player Efficiency Rating (15.1), is assisting on 37.3 percent of made baskets when he’s on the floor and sports a 51.7 true shooting percentage. He’s making plays for his teammates and creating shots for himself.

Defensively, Dunn is the ideal point guard. At 6’4″, he has the range to defend any size of point guard and can take on shooting guards as well. This season, he’s shown even more propensity to mix it up and be aggressive, and he doesn’t back down from anyone.

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That’s the type of defender teams want on the perimeter. This season, Dunn is averaging 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. He’s averaging 4.0 fouls a game, which is too high, but it does indicate his aggressive nature.

Is Dunn the answer for the Chicago Bulls?

The truth is, good point guards are hard to find. Franchise point guards are even rarer in the NBA. In his third NBA season, Kris Dunn is a solid NBA point guard. Whether he’ll be a franchise-level lead guard remains to be seen.

These days, critics are too quick to write off players before they even hit their primes. Remember Victor Oladipo? Some thought he was a bust with the Orlando Magic, and now he’s a star with the Indiana Pacers. This isn’t to compare the two players, but Dunn deserves time to develop.

This season has been disastrous for the Bulls. They’ve lost 33 of 43 games to start the season and the immediate future doesn’t like very bright. Yet the long-term, beyond this season, looks good. The team has key pieces in place, but their ceiling only extends as high as Dunn will allow it to.

He has the work ethic and the skills to be a very good point guard. He may never be elite, but he is showing glimpses this season of why he was a lottery pick in 2016. He needs to continue to improve his shooting and decrease his turnovers, as he has this season. His ability to finish at the rim has improved this season too, shooting 63.0 percent from within three feet — up from 54.3 percent last season.

His defensive tenacity will always be there and his leadership qualities are showing as well. It would serve Dunn and the Bulls well if the front office invested in a veteran point guard to help show the young guard the ropes, the way Robin Lopez can be leaned on for advice by Wendell Carter Jr.

Kris Dunn is the answer for the Chicago Bulls at point guard right now. His growth the remainder of the season will determine whether the franchise gives him control of the offense long-term.