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Portland Trail Blazers: 3 back-up PG’s to target next season

By Ryan Gaskin

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 06: Shabazz Napier #5 of the Washington Wizards dribbles against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at Capital One Arena on March 06, 2020 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 06: Shabazz Napier #5 of the Washington Wizards dribbles against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at Capital One Arena on March 06, 2020 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images) /
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Kris Dunn #32 of the Chicago Bulls
(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

Option 2: Kris Dunn

Hear me out on this.

I know Kris Dunn has seriously struggled on offense this year, and he doesn’t exactly sound like the guy to turn the Blazers into a title contender. However, if we look a little deeper, I think Dunn would have a lot to contribute in Portland.

In 17/18, Dunn was averaging 13 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds, and was shooting a respectable 32 percent from three. Fast forward to 19/20, and his offensive numbers have halved. Dunn’s shooting inability has been a liability for Chicago this year, with a lot of teams simply ignoring him on the perimeter.

However, one thing that does stand out with Dunn? Defense. And this isn’t pity praise, Kris Dunn has the potential to be one of the best defenders in the league. If the Bulls weren’t completely useless (and I say that kindly), Dunn would genuinely have an All-Defense case.

Looking at the numbers is even more fun. Before his injury in January, Dunn was leading the NBA in steals, and when he was inserted into the Bulls’ starting line-up, their team defense flourished. For a month, they had a top 3 defense in the league, when Dunn is not on the floor, the Bulls defensive numbers plummeted. Per 100 possessions, when Dunn was on the floor, Chicago’s defensive rating was 103.6- this number went up to 110.4 when Dunn sat.

It’s not like Dunn’s offense is completely dead and buried, either. He will probably never be élite there, but 13 points and 6 assists (2 years ago) shows there is potential, and if the Blazers are good at anything, it’s squeezing potential out of players.

In my opinion, I don’t think the Bulls will pursue resigning Dunn. They’re a rebuilding team, and Dunn’s abilities translate better to a team trying to win now. He’ll be cheaper than some other point guards on the market, and there’s definitely a positive player there.