Most important Chicago Bulls players to watch next season

1. Kris Dunn

Like the Bulls, Kris Dunn was one of my favorite players in the 2016 NBA draft class. His poor rookie season certainly makes me question his offensive ability, but I still believe in Dunn’s upside in the right system. And to me, Hoiberg’s pace-and-space offense is perfect for Dunn’s skill set.

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Even after trading for Dunn, I wanted to Bulls to draft Smith. However, that is not because I do not believe in Dunn as a player. I do think he still has plenty of upside and can be a real impact player for the Bulls in the future.

First, let’s get the obvious weakness out of the way. Dunn is not a good outside shooter. He shot 28% from three-point range as a rookie in Minnesota last season and his 61% free throw percentage is not a great sign of that turning around. Dunn did hit 37% of his three-pointers in college, so that is something, but I never expect him to be a real threat from the outside in the NBA.

However, I still think he can be an effective offensive player. His lack of shooting touch certainly brings down his offensive upside, but his ability to push the ball quickly up the court is impressive.

Dunn is an extremely fast and athletic point guard who is not afraid to push the pace. The Bulls want to play fast and Dunn is the perfect guy to lead that charge. He gets the ball quickly off the rebound and always looks to run. He also does a nice job of looking to set up his teammates, particularly in fast break situations.

His half court game is certainly a work in progress, but I think Dunn has a chance to be a strong distributor from the point guard position. He is also a strong leader who could quickly grow into a player who his teammates look up to.

His offensive game is shaky, but Dunn’s defense is elite. He is a lock down perimeter defender who also shows a great knack for making plays on the ball. Dunn is a sneaky defender who will come away with many steals that lead to significant fast break opportunities.

Dunn is not a perfect player by any means, but I think he fits the Bulls extremely well. I like him as a leader of their fast break. Guys like Blakeney, Portis, LaVine and possibly Markkanen can become real assets in the fast break game. Dunn may not be able to shoot, but he can get the ball to those guys in a hurry.

Next: Remaining free agent targets for Bulls

I honestly think that Dunn has a chance to turn himself into a major piece for the Chicago Bulls this season. Seeing if he can actually do it is the single most important thing to watch in this rebuilding year.