An important restricted free agent decision looms for the Chicago Bulls new front office personnel this offseason with point guard Kris Dunn.
One of the more impactful decisions that the Chicago Bulls front office will be facing this offseason is what to do with the impending restricted free agent and defensive stopper point guard Kris Dunn. The 2019-20 season was the final year of Dunn’s rookie contract, and he’s up for starter-level money to base degree for the qualifying offer on his offer sheet this offseason. Although, Dunn was likely to command at least $7-8 million anyway in this round of restricted free agency. So not much will change with the base salary he gets on his next contract.
Dunn contributed a lot of value to former head coach Jim Boylen and the Bulls in the season that was for them on the defensive end of the floor. In a largely new found role as the backup point guard (at least at the outset of the regular season before injuries started to kick in), Dunn thrived in a defensive stopper role that shot less frequently.
In the season that was for the Bulls, Dunn played in 51 games (starting in 32 of them). He did miss a few games due to an MCL injury that held him out starting in January. But he averaged 7.3 points per game, 3.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.3 blocks. He shot a career best 44.4 percent from the field, 25.9 percent from beyond the arc, and 74.1 percent from the free-throw line.
The advanced metrics were a bit more friendly to Dunn this season too. He registered a career-best -0.6 box plus/minus rating, 0.4 value over replacement player rating, 51.0 true shooting percentage, and .085 win shares per 48 minutes. In fact, all of those numbers were career-bests for Dunn.
As we look back on the season that was for Dunn, there are a few highlights that standout too. He was a much more efficient floor general in terms of driving and kicking the ball out. He shot a career best 53.5 percent from two-point range and also had one of his best assist-to-turnover ratios in his run in the NBA (around 3-to-1).
This double crossover @KrisDunn3 🔥 pic.twitter.com/BzvcCSRzzT
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) August 12, 2020
This highlight of him crossing up and driving past the Milwaukee Bucks star small forward/shooting guard Khris Middleton shows one of the better memories of his season. To a bigger point, he was much more efficient inside the two-point arc during the 2019-20 season, than ever before in his NBA career.
This should be a learning point for Dunn moving forward, as much of his game should now live inside the arc. His defensive value became clear as one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. And his offensive game was much-improved in certain aspects.
Whether he ends up back with the Bulls next season, or finds himself with his third team in the league, Dunn was able to reinvent himself in a mostly positive sense this season. That should help him as he is likely to soon move into the prime years of his run in the NBA.