After struggling to carve out a task within the NBA, Kris Dunn has discovered his footing on the Los Angeles Clippers and is taking part in significant basketball.
Within the NBA, the Most Improved Participant Award has misplaced most of its that means. Lately, it has been given to Ja Morant, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, and Lauri Markkanen. All of these gamers had been chosen within the draft lottery and had been roughly anticipated to be stars.
This yr, former first general choose Cade Cunningham is the frontrunner to win the George Mikan Trophy, additional sullying the long-standing level of the award: to rejoice a participant who has exceeded expectations.
Followers would argue that Norman Powell, who improved from a stable role-player to a borderline All-Star in his age-31 season, ought to win the award. The Los Angeles Clippers’ franchise would possible agree, and in reality, the Clippers have one other breakout participant who has lengthy been missed.
After being chosen fifth general by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2016, Kris Dunn rapidly emerged as a stable perimeter defender, however he was unable to make a lot of an offensive impression, prompting him to be traded to the Chicago Bulls in his first NBA offseason.
Dunn has bounced across the league since then, by no means actually cobbling collectively an ideal season on a superb crew. Seemingly close to the tip of his NBA profession, he signed a three-year contract with the Utah Jazz this summer season earlier than being traded to the Clippers, and plenty of anticipated him to fizzle out.
As a substitute, he’s averaging six factors, three assists, and three.5 rebounds on a stable crew, beginning as a rule.
He’s removed from being a star, however Dunn has been the perfect defender on the crew when Kawhi Leonard doesn’t play and is an enormous motive why the Clippers are alive within the playoff hunt regardless of low expectations coming into the season.
Picked forty fifth general in 2005, Lou Williams is aware of a factor or two about working his manner up. A 3-time Sixth Man of the 12 months, he had the perfect stretch of his profession with the Clippers. He and Dunn each frolicked with the Atlanta Hawks through the 2020-21 season.
“They’ve loads of completely different items,” mentioned Williams of this season’s Clippers. “Pay attention, I need to present some like to Kris Dunn as effectively. For someone who’s all the time tried, been looking for a house in his NBA profession, this appears good on him with the Clippers.”
Dunn isn’t a lot of a scorer, however he instructions respect because of his means to get to the rim and kick the ball out to the open man.
“He’s aggressive on the defensive finish,” Williams continued. “He’s flattening photographs. He’s was a viable three and D man for the Clippers. They bought loads of nice items, they’re peaking on the proper time, they bought an ideal identification, and so they’re shifting ahead.”
The Clippers are 6-1 of their final seven video games. Dunn hasn’t been taking pictures the lights out, going 21.4% from deep, however he stays a high-level defender and secondary facilitator. The Clippers are the eighth seed within the West and are anticipated to face both the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder or Houston Rockets within the first spherical if every little thing holds.
Dunn’s offensive shortcomings will maintain him from taking part in an enormous position for the Clippers within the postseason, however he may very well be tasked with guarding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has been principally contained to this point towards the Clippers this season.
