In a December 12 Bleacher Report story, Andy Bailey wrote about why he believes former Chicago Bulls guard and defensive specialist Kris Dunn would be a good fit on the Brooklyn Nets.
Bailey said that Dunn’s production in the G League this season could make him a candidate for the Nets to add as a playmaker.
“Another playmaker who could fill in when one or more of the above are out could help, and 28-year-old Kris Dunn is making a case for himself in the G League.
“Through 10 games with the Capital City Go-Go, Dunn is averaging 14.3 points, 5.6 assists, and 1.8 steals in 25.5 minutes while shooting 64.4 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from three.
“His NBA shooting marks (42.0 percent overall, 29.9 percent from deep) suggest the G League efficiency wouldn’t stick, but the Nets likely wouldn’t need him to do much scoring anyway.”
Bailey then explained that Dunn’s abilities as a defender, among others, would help him fit with the Nets.
“Dunn is a good perimeter defender who could be deployed alongside Durant. If he can simply eat some minutes, help the defense, and score as a cutter, he’d fit,” Bailey said.
Dunn was traded to the Bulls in 2017, where he played for three seasons. In his last season with the Bulls, Dunn was only a few votes short of making an All-NBA Defensive team in 2020.
The Nets are 17-12, which currently places them fourth in the Eastern Conference standings.
Dunn’s NBA Career Post-Chicago
Dunn left the Bulls when he signed a two-year, $10 million deal with the Atlanta Hawks. Dunn played in only four games for the Hawks during the 2020-21 season, where he averaged 1.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.5 assists while shooting eight percent from the field and zero percent from three.
That summer, Dunn was then traded along with Bruno Fernando to the Boston Celtics in a three-team deal, where he was then re-routed to the Memphis Grizzlies in September. The Grizzlies shortly waived Dunn upon acquiring him.
Dunn managed to catch on with the Portland Trail Blazers towards the end of the 2021-22 season. He played 14 games for the Trail Blazers, averaging 7.6 points, 5.6 assists, and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 43.1 percent from the field and 9.1 percent from three.
Bulls Urged to Target Carmelo Anthony
In his article, Bailey went on to explain why the Bulls could potentially target someone like Carmelo Anthony.
“A veteran floor spacer could shore up (Chicago’s) chances to get to the playoffs,” Bailey said. “Carmelo Anthony is coming off a solid 2021-22 in which he averaged 13.3 points in 26.0 minutes off the bench for L.A. Over his past three seasons, he’s shooting 38.9 percent from deep.”
Bailey said that even though Anthony is considered old for an NBA player, his offensive presence could help with the Bulls’ spacing even if he’s not too much of a defender.
“Despite being 38, he could command some respect at the three-point line. While his defense may lead to some problems for Chicago, if the Bulls have to prioritize one side of the floor over the other, they should lean toward bolstering their offense.”
Anthony also has experience with Bulls’ head coach Billy Donovan, having played under him with the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2017-18 season.
Ex-Bull, Defensive Specialist Linked to Eastern Conference Rival