Top prospect out of Providence Kris Dunn had his eyes glued to his iPhone while the Boston Celtics were on the clock with pick No. 3 during the 2016 NBA Draft. Anxiously awaiting Adam Silver’s announcement, he would alertly pick up his head aimlessly, trying to speculate on what was escalating as time ticked down. Dunn’s representatives had notified Boston of the guard’s little interest in working out for the franchise and suiting up in green, acknowledging their depth in the backcourt.
The Celtics took Jaylen Brown, and Dunn went to Minnesota at five. The rest is history. Fast forward seven years. Dunn was part of an anticipated blockbuster, easily looked past, and undervalued by multiple teams.
The now 29-year-old did also encounter some injury along the journey, but Dunn quickly became a journeyman himself. Former Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge continued to keep a close eye on the guard. Now in Utah, he rewarded Dunn with a guaranteed contract for next season after he impressed in his Jazz trial. With his fifth NBA team, the Connecticut native could potentially have a permanent home.
out of the league for nearly a year, the veteran has returned in impressive fashion as he has been pretty lights out for Utah.
“No matter what’s thrown at me, I got the right people around me… You just gotta be able to stay consistent and lean on the people that you love.” – @KrisDunn3#ShootaroundInterviews | @zionsbank
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 3, 2023
Dunn’s 19 points, 14 assists and eight rebounds with three steals as a plus-20 leading the team in minutes last Saturday speak for itself.
Kris Dunn may have a permanent home with the Utah Jazz
The former Providence Friar made his season debut for the Jazz on Feb. 23, where he had a quick 11 in 16 minutes, shooting 50 percent. His time, along with all the other numbers rising, earned Will Hardy’s trust by the game, and Dunn got up to 25.8 minutes. He scored in double digits in his first seven games, as he did in 17 of his 22 outings with the team. At an efficient 53.7%, he reached 13.2 points, 5.6 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and a steal. Not one to really take threes, but Dunn shot 47.2% from out there.
What makes him special is that strong first step that allows him to smoothly get to the paint and attack the basket with ease. Dunn has great vision to help him find cutters to the hoop and shooters. He may not have the explosiveness he once carried entering the NBA, but he still has the capability of showing glimpses. It’s like he uses that explosive ability, strength, and athleticism he has always had to help him finish through contact or around the rim. Dunn’s guidance on offense, helping lead and get looks toward the rim so fluently, could be the main intriguing symbol in the PG’s resurgence.
rebounds,Dunn is among they amongst PG league leaders in field goal percentage through the last 20 games. His true shooting percentage is scorching right now at 59.9%. In his last seven games to end the season, Dunn averaged 17.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists, shooting 61.3 FG/68.2 TS%.
Dunn has certainly exhibited parts of his game with upside before. Somewhat in his brief stint in Portland a year ago and more so during his time as a Chicago Bull. Dunn was in Chicago from his second season to the pandemic year in 2019–20, where he was 25. Year two as a Bull was where the guard really excelled, putting up 13.4 points, 6 assists, and 4.3 rebounds across 29 minutes. He shot in the low 40’s but had a solid tenure in Chicago none the less, averaging 10.7 points, 4 rebounds, and 5.1 assists.
In the former fifth overall pick’s experience with the Blazers via two 10-day contracts, Dunn played 14 games all last season with Portland. Dunn certainly showed some potential, recording 7.6 PPG, 5.6 APG, and 3.5 rebounds. The team needed his depth and flexibility with Damian Lillard nursing his abdominal injury all season long and the Blazers having just dealt CJ McCollum. Dunn’s defensive knowledge to go with his newly budding athleticism allowed him to be a serviceable fill-in.
The Leadership of Dunn
What Dunn has evolved into as a member of the Jazz in almost two months of wearing the uniform is a total rendition of the team’s tremendous storyline this season. The team rapidly went into rebuild mode last summer as the entire franchise was turned over from its pillars to their successors. Once Ainge hoarded his beloved draft compensation, everyone thought it was an obvious tanking decision for the future without any fight or enjoyment.
Utah became one of the league’s best stories for quite some time, with them even being in the playoff picture and then battling for the thrilling Play-In tournament positioning. A new and lovable face in Lauri Markkanen became one of the NBA’s most dominant forces at the forward spot, with All-NBA potential. Jordan Clarkson had one of his career’s best seasons, and rookie Walker Kessler proved to be an upcoming star and one of the game’s premier shot-blockers and rebounders throughout his campaign.
Most of all, Dunn and Markkanen, who were disregarded and undervalued throughout their 20s, have shown they can be given the keys to the ship’s engines at any point through this process. Dunn should be rewarded with a boosted and critical role for the Jazz moving forward as the needle-threader and initiator.
Dunn was open about his mentality throughout the entire voyage that the tough-minded guard has encountered.
"“I’m willing to soak up any game and knowledge that I cant get from anybody,” said Dunn. “I just try to explain to the guys, the rookies, the guys that I was with in the G-League. Just give them a little bit about my journey in the sense of being a top five pick, it didn’t go well my first year then right away I get traded to Chicago which was a big market with another young team. We had a losing record, we’re getting booed off the court. Dealt with a lot of injuries. Then going to another place, Atlanta, they did wonderful things, they went to the Eastern Conference Finals. I was on bed rest for the whole year. Then, get traded to Boston to get traded to Memphis, then had a really good training camp. Got sick, got waived, then go to the G-League, go to Portland. Wasn’t fully healthy played 20 games in Portland, go to the G-League after that.”"
Expressing complete vulnerability discussing the human relation of everything the guard had been through, Dunn understands the veteran voice he has and what he could provide for Utah’s future. The connection, solace and acceptance in anything with the organization gives a promising sense of Dunn’s future with the franchise. Utah is beyond fortunate for Dunn’s leadership.