The 26-year-old Chicago Bulls impending restricted free agent point guard Kris Dunn could have a potential landing spot soon in the Clippers.
The rumors are starting to trickle in, as well as tangible news, pertaining to what the Chicago Bulls and newly hired executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley are planning to do in this cycle of free agency. The Bulls already extended a qualifying offer to restricted free agent and shooting guard Denzel Valentine on Nov. 16.
And the Bulls also saw veteran small forward Otto Porter Jr. pick up his player option on Nov. 15, so there is finally tangible news as to what will happen for the roster construction heading into the 2020-21 season.
But the an important nugget that emerged in a report on Nov. 16 involved the Bulls defensive stopper and 6-foot-4 and 210 pound point guard Kris Dunn. The fellow impending restricted free agent and former Providence Friar Dunn might not be returning after all this offseason.
It felt like if any of the impending free agent guards for the Bulls were coming back, it would be Dunn. He elevated his game for the first time in his career in a newfound role that seemed to fit well under the direction of former head coach Jim Boylen.
Although, we don’t know what the plans are for Karnisovas and Eversley to build their new look Bulls roster around recently hired former Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Billy Donovan. Dunn might not be a good fit with the direction that the new Bulls front office regime wants to head in.
The Bulls plan to not issue a qualifying offer to Kris Dunn, per sources. The Clippers are among several teams expected to show interest in the soon-to-be-free-agent guard.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) November 16, 2020
Can also confirm Bulls will extend qualifying offer to Denzel Valentine, which @DarnellMayberry had 1st.
Another important nugget emerging from the report from K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago on the afternoon of Nov. 16 concerning Dunn’s situation. Apparently one of the more significant other NBA teams that would be potentially interested in signing Dunn out of restricted free agency is the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Clippers are reportedly one of a number of teams that are interested in seeing what Dunn could bring to the table for them out of restricted free agency.
During the shortened 2019-20 regular season, Dunn played in 51 games with the Bulls (32 of which he started in). He averaged 7.3 points per game, 3.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.3 blocks. And Dunn shot 44.4 percent from the field, 25.9 percent from beyond the arc, and 74.1 percent from the free-throw line.
Dunn is set to get starter level money for his qualifying offer in restricted free agency. The former fifth overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft of the Minnesota Timberwolves made around $4.2 million in the final year of his rookie contract.