5 Chicago Bulls players with something to prove in the 2017-18 season

1. Kris Dunn

Kris Dunn’s first season was a flop. After being drafted fifth overall by the Timberwolves, Dunn struggled as a rookie. He appeared in 78 games, started seven, and averaged just 3.8 points and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 37.7 percent from the field and 28.8 percent from 3-point range. He wasn’t able to get the rim consistently, which was a strength of his coming out of Providence, and he was sloppy with the ball in his hands.

As a prospect, Dunn has terrific size and elite athleticism at the point guard position. At 6-foot-4 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan, he has an ideal frame to develop into a stalwart defender. His ability to get steals and run the floor in transition provide a template for success.

Despite his poor shooting numbers as a rookie, Dunn shot 37 percent from 3-point range in his final collegiate season. There’s reason to believe he will improve from his rookie season.

Dunn has all he tools to be an elite point guard. That’s why he was taken fifth overall. He’s fast, quick, athletic, he can shoot and he has the size. He just needs to learn to complete the play. His speed makes him dangerous coming off the pick-and-roll. In a spread offense, he could do some serious damage. He just needs to learn to make the right play, whether it be finishing at the rim consistently or kicking out to the open man for 3-pointers. That will come with time.

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Those are also things that Ricky Rubio thrives at, which is one of the reasons why Dunn couldn’t overtake him for more minutes in Minnesota last season. The Bulls, however, don’t have other realistic options at point guard. For at least one season, Dunn will get a chance.