Chicago Bulls Rumors: Clippers interested in Kris Dunn this summer

Finding the right players to re-sign in restricted free agency this summer could be a big test for the front office of the Chicago Bulls.

There’s a number of potential free agent targets set for free agency this summer around the NBA that could serve a good level of intrigue as players that could be taking advantage of the bird rights exception. And one or two of those players will be coming from the Chicago Bulls as restricted free agents this coming offseason.

Two possible Bulls to watch hitting the restricted free agent market this summer includes 6-foot-6 shooting guard Denzel Valentine and 6-foot-4 point guard Kris Dunn. Both Valentine and Dunn were lottery picks in the 2016 NBA Draft. Dunn was originally selected as a top five pick in the 2016 draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Valentine was picked by the Bulls at the back end of the lottery that same year.

The Bulls brought Dunn over in that infamous 2017 Jimmy Butler trade that also landed them power forward Lauri Markkanen and shooting guard Zach LaVine.

While Dunn saw bigger roles and more playing time across the board in his four-year NBA career thus far than Valentine, both are looking to hit free agency for the first time on a high note.

Before going down with a season-ending knee injury, Dunn played in 51 games with the Bulls. He averaged 7.3 points per game, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists, while shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 25.9 percent from beyond the arc. He also shot 74.1 from the charity stripe and posted 2.3 win shares.

It appears that the strong defensive showing from Dunn in his newfound role off the bench at the outset of the 2019-20 regular season gained the attention of other suitors around the NBA already. According to a report from K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, the Los Angeles Clippers could be interesting in pursuing Dunn’s services out of free agency this offseason.

Here’s what that report from Johnson had to say on the matter.

"League gossip has existed all season that the Clippers are at least one team that planned to show interest in Dunn this offseason. Whether his injury changes that or what other teams get involved is unknown.What is known is that Dunn deserves credit for looking inward and reviving his career. As recently as last summer, it appeared stalled out. If trade talks with the Grizzlies involving a sign-and-trade for Justin Holiday had panned out, Dunn would’ve been playing for his third team in four seasons."

Dunn was one of the best defensive guards in the entire NBA before he went down for the rest of the year with this knee injury. He still has the NBA’s best steal rate at this point in time, at 3.8 percent. Dunn also posted a defensive rating of 106 and defensive box plus/minus rating of 3.2.

There’s still a good chance that the Bulls try and re-sign Dunn this summer. He brings a lot of value to the table as a defensive stopper off the bench for head coach Jim Boylen and the Bulls. Getting him at a good price would still make a lot of sense for this organization.