Today’s Hottest Take: Always Improving, Always Learning

Last season, Kris Dunn's player archetype was labeled as a dying breed, like a Tony Allen or an Avery Bradley. The type of player that would be guarding the other team's best player, making hustle plays and being a sparkplug for the whole team. He was not thought at all to be a scorer, and his handle was shaky. In the playoffs last year, he was left wide open from three 63.3% of the time and only shot 34%. He also only averaged 1.3 assists in 22 minutes as a point guard. His lack of shot creation and ability to pass was one of the main reasons the Clippers didn’t win their series versus the Nuggets.

This season, Dunn came in determined to change his narrative. He not only is playing at a First Team All-Defense level, but he's also transformed his offensive game. While his playmaking has only slightly improved with now 2.4 assists a game, it's his shooting that has changed the public perception on him. He is now shooting slightly above average from 3 with 36.4%, which may not sound like a lot, but for the Clippers, this is a godsend. Now with players having to respect his 3-point shot, it opens the paint for his teammates. His shooting has allowed Ivica Zubac to dominate the paint, averaging 16/10/2 on 62.2% efficiency. He also has improved his handle, allowing him to drive more effectively and turn the ball over less. His energy hasn’t left him at all either, making him a great sparkplug for the team on both offense and defense.

What You Need To Know: Dunn’s Defensive Gravity is Changing Everything

Kris Dunn has become the Clippers identity, the guy who sets the tone before he even checks into the game. His defensive pressure has become so trusted by Ty Lue that Lue uses him to control the game's tempo, sticking him on the opposing ball handler to disrupt possessions before they even start. What makes him so dangerous is how it connects the rest of the roster. James Harden gets to conserve energy for late-game creation. Nicolas Batum and Derrick Jones Jr. get good looks from 3. Zubac benefits the most, often waiting at the rim untouched because Dunn has already blown up the first action of the play.

And his defensive impact is seen so clearly; the blind screens he navigates perfectly, weak-side digs he times perfectly, and the trademark swipes that switch defense to offense in an instant. The way he is able to create chaos on the court has quietly become one of the Clippers’ most reliable weapons. If L.A. ends up salvaging this season stretch, it’ll be because Dunn’s defense keeps giving them chances when nothing else is working.

Before You Go: Dunn’s Contract Might be the Clippers’ Best Trade Asset

The NBA trade deadline always has the chance for value, and the Clippers have a $5 million contract that every playoff team would love to trade for. Dunn’s work ethic and grit has shown by bouncing around the league and becoming an elite defender when people thought he was done for, makes him the exact type of player front offices call about when searching for playoff-ready players. From a roster-building angle, Dunn’s strengths are exactly what contenders crave: point-of-attack defense, zero ego, plug-and-play utility, and an improving jumper. The weaknesses are minimal, and the style fits into any system. That combination makes him both indispensable and extremely tradable.

With the rough stretch the Clippers have had, if they suffer any more injuries, they could end up falling out of the playoff race. With no real picks for the future, they could end up in an extremely dark place with nowhere to go. Dunn could help them out of this situation if the Clippers are still doing poorly by the trade deadline.

Dunn’s main weakness right now is his age, and if the Clippers can’t compete this year, keeping an aging small guard on the roster would not be a smart move. Instead, they could sell him to a team that is in need of his services like the Nuggets, 76ers or Pistons for draft capital. One trade they could do is send Dunn and Kobe Brown to the Nuggets for Zeke Nnaji and two first-round picks. The Nuggets would get an elite defensive guard, allowing them to compete with the Thunder, while the Clippers can get draft picks and a young stretch big that can be mentored by players like Brook Lopez and Batum.

Another good trade the Clippers could make is sending Dunn to the Pistons for Paul Reed and two lottery protected picks. This allows for the Pistons to get a two guard that would fit next to Cade Cunningham perfectly and for the Clippers to prepare for the draft. All this being said, no matter what route the Clippers go, Dunn is an extremely underrated player that doesn't get the love he deserves.