Kris Dunn is gonna be...

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Rajon Rondo may not be a bad comparison, although he doesn't quite dominate the ball as much (for now).

[Monster]

At this point if feels to me Dunn is a key to this team going forward because right now PG play is a concern. Dunn hasn't been amazing but I think he clearly has been much more comfortable offensively the last few games and that jumper is looking a hell of a lot better.

So what kind of player is Dunn gonna be for us? Cam I know you had liked Dunn a lot last year at one point. Do you have any thoughts on what you can hope he can become for this team?

Meanwhile some other young PGs are struggling. Mudiay can't hit a shot and I saw an article saying his net rating is terrible and suggested some other guard I won't name should be playing PG for that team.

Elfrid Payton has lost his starting spot to DJ Augustine.

MCW is still injured.

Jerian Grant Was a guy I liked a lot and his career hasn't been remotely successful.

Why mention all these guys? Well they are all guys with some pretty nice talent at this position coming out of the draft and right now some of them probably look closer to backups than starters although it's still early for a couple of them. Some of them have had some actual success though before seeming to fade. What will Dunn's fate be?

If Dunn is the key to the Wolves future, then the franchise is in deep shit. And that's not because I'm convinced Dunn won't be a good NBA player. He could become very good. It's because the obvious keys to this team are KAT, Wiggins and LaVine. All three have already proven to be starting caliber NBA players and have demonstrated allstar, possible superstar potential at the NBA level. And all three are still only 21 years old. The Wolves will only go as far as those three, or at least two of them, can take us.

As for Dunn, he came to the League as a college upperclassman already older than Andrew, Zach or KAT. Yet so far he hasn't even demonstrated that he can compete as a starting PG at the NBA level, much less as anything close to an allstar-caliber player. He may get there, but I'm not holding my breath. I like his defensive potential and he could develop into a good offensive PG as well. But he has a long way to go to be anything close to someone to whom I'd pin the hopes of the franchise.

To win championships you have to have players that aren't stars be worthwhile players. Dunn doesn't have to be a star or all-star or even a top 15 PG (it's a loaded position) to be a key player.

[Monster]

Rajon Rondo may not be a bad comparison, although he doesn't quite dominate the ball as much (for now).

I don't like that comp for a few reasons but I get where you are trying to go. Rondo is a lot smaller and hasn't played defense for what like 8 years or something? He is also always had some issues with his attitude Dunn has a great reputation in that regard.

This isn't a really exceptional comparison if it's all you get but what about Eric Snow? His offense wasn't good and in today's game his shooting from the perimeter is even more probelematic but he just seemed like a guy that helped his team win games and was a complimentary player. If that's Dunn's floor it wouldn't be too bad. Hopefully Dunn can shoot better and he was a much better shooter and scorer in college than Snow was.

[MikkeMan]

I think that in younger point guards there is couple of pretty similar ones. Marcus Smart and Elfrid Payton. Both are big point guards with huge wing spans and neither have been yet much of shooters. Neither has yet been able to really break trough as playmaker but both have been positive contributors for their teams because of their defense. Both players even share Dunn's problems in free throw line.

Offensively I think Dunn's could develop in best case something similar game than Reggie Jackson. That combined with elite defense would be damn good player.

[longstrangetrip [enjin:6600564]]

I think that in younger point guards there is couple of pretty similar ones. Marcus Smart and Elfrid Payton. Both are big point guards with huge wing spans and neither have been yet much of shooters. Neither has yet been able to really break trough as playmaker but both have been positive contributors for their teams because of their defense. Both players even share Dunn's problems in free throw line.

Offensively I think Dunn's could develop in best case something similar game than Reggie Jackson. That combined with elite defense would be damn good player.

I like the Smart comparison best of any so far, and like Dunn, I would question whether he is really a PG. With Isaiah Thomas logging 33 MPG at the point, Smart has had to reinvent himself as a poor shooting SG. And while his offensive game has never really developed, he's a valuable player on the Celtics because of his terrific defense. He's not a star by any means, but I still think he's evidence that an athletic 6-4 guy with a big wingspan and a bad shot (Smart and Dunn) can contribute as a combo guard...even with most of his minutes at SG.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

I think that in younger point guards there is couple of pretty similar ones. Marcus Smart and Elfrid Payton. Both are big point guards with huge wing spans and neither have been yet much of shooters. Neither has yet been able to really break trough as playmaker but both have been positive contributors for their teams because of their defense. Both players even share Dunn's problems in free throw line.

Offensively I think Dunn's could develop in best case something similar game than Reggie Jackson. That combined with elite defense would be damn good player.

I like the Smart comparison best of any so far, and like Dunn, I would question whether he is really a PG. With Isaiah Thomas logging 33 MPG at the point, Smart has had to reinvent himself as a poor shooting SG. And while his offensive game has never really developed, he's a valuable player on the Celtics because of his terrific defense. He's not a star by any means, but I still think he's evidence that an athletic 6-4 guy with a big wingspan and a bad shot (Smart and Dunn) can contribute as a combo guard...even with most of his minutes at SG.

It gets back to this idea of eventually having a Tyus/Dunn backcourt pairing off the bench. They seem to have awfully complimentary skill-sets.

[bleedspeed]

It gets back to this idea of eventually having a Tyus/Dunn backcourt pairing off the bench. They seem to have awfully complimentary skill-sets.

I agree and at this pace we will draft our starting PG this summer and shoudl find a taker for Rubio.

[Coolbreeze44]

It gets back to this idea of eventually having a Tyus/Dunn backcourt pairing off the bench. They seem to have awfully complimentary skill-sets.

I agree and at this pace we will draft our starting PG this summer and shoudl find a taker for Rubio.

I'd be shocked if Rubio's on this team past the deadline.

[Lipoli390]

At this point if feels to me Dunn is a key to this team going forward because right now PG play is a concern. Dunn hasn't been amazing but I think he clearly has been much more comfortable offensively the last few games and that jumper is looking a hell of a lot better.

So what kind of player is Dunn gonna be for us? Cam I know you had liked Dunn a lot last year at one point. Do you have any thoughts on what you can hope he can become for this team?

Meanwhile some other young PGs are struggling. Mudiay can't hit a shot and I saw an article saying his net rating is terrible and suggested some other guard I won't name should be playing PG for that team.

Elfrid Payton has lost his starting spot to DJ Augustine.

MCW is still injured.

Jerian Grant Was a guy I liked a lot and his career hasn't been remotely successful.

Why mention all these guys? Well they are all guys with some pretty nice talent at this position coming out of the draft and right now some of them probably look closer to backups than starters although it's still early for a couple of them. Some of them have had some actual success though before seeming to fade. What will Dunn's fate be?

If Dunn is the key to the Wolves future, then the franchise is in deep shit. And that's not because I'm convinced Dunn won't be a good NBA player. He could become very good. It's because the obvious keys to this team are KAT, Wiggins and LaVine. All three have already proven to be starting caliber NBA players and have demonstrated allstar, possible superstar potential at the NBA level. And all three are still only 21 years old. The Wolves will only go as far as those three, or at least two of them, can take us.

As for Dunn, he came to the League as a college upperclassman already older than Andrew, Zach or KAT. Yet so far he hasn't even demonstrated that he can compete as a starting PG at the NBA level, much less as anything close to an allstar-caliber player. He may get there, but I'm not holding my breath. I like his defensive potential and he could develop into a good offensive PG as well. But he has a long way to go to be anything close to someone to whom I'd pin the hopes of the franchise.

To win championships you have to have players that aren't stars be worthwhile players. Dunn doesn't have to be a star or all-star or even a top 15 PG (it's a loaded position) to be a key player.

I agree on the need to have a solid supporting cast around your 2 or 3 stars to win NBA championships. But in that regard, Dunn is no more of a key than a number of others we have (Dieng) or might acquire through free agency or trades down the road. Dunn might be important as part of a trade to acquire a solid supporting cast member or might grow into one himself. But right now, he hasn't shown anything to suggest he'll be more than a role player on this team (bench defender). In my view that makes him one of many possibilities to be part of an eventually championship roster. But to me that doesn't make him a key. I'm reserving that term for our young potential stars and thankfully we have 3 of them -- each with a lot to learn but all of them very young and very promising.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

At this point if feels to me Dunn is a key to this team going forward because right now PG play is a concern. Dunn hasn't been amazing but I think he clearly has been much more comfortable offensively the last few games and that jumper is looking a hell of a lot better.

So what kind of player is Dunn gonna be for us? Cam I know you had liked Dunn a lot last year at one point. Do you have any thoughts on what you can hope he can become for this team?

Meanwhile some other young PGs are struggling. Mudiay can't hit a shot and I saw an article saying his net rating is terrible and suggested some other guard I won't name should be playing PG for that team.

Elfrid Payton has lost his starting spot to DJ Augustine.

MCW is still injured.

Jerian Grant Was a guy I liked a lot and his career hasn't been remotely successful.

Why mention all these guys? Well they are all guys with some pretty nice talent at this position coming out of the draft and right now some of them probably look closer to backups than starters although it's still early for a couple of them. Some of them have had some actual success though before seeming to fade. What will Dunn's fate be?

If Dunn is the key to the Wolves future, then the franchise is in deep shit. And that's not because I'm convinced Dunn won't be a good NBA player. He could become very good. It's because the obvious keys to this team are KAT, Wiggins and LaVine. All three have already proven to be starting caliber NBA players and have demonstrated allstar, possible superstar potential at the NBA level. And all three are still only 21 years old. The Wolves will only go as far as those three, or at least two of them, can take us.

As for Dunn, he came to the League as a college upperclassman already older than Andrew, Zach or KAT. Yet so far he hasn't even demonstrated that he can compete as a starting PG at the NBA level, much less as anything close to an allstar-caliber player. He may get there, but I'm not holding my breath. I like his defensive potential and he could develop into a good offensive PG as well. But he has a long way to go to be anything close to someone to whom I'd pin the hopes of the franchise.

To win championships you have to have players that aren't stars be worthwhile players. Dunn doesn't have to be a star or all-star or even a top 15 PG (it's a loaded position) to be a key player.

I agree on the need to have a solid supporting cast around your 2 or 3 stars to win NBA championships. But in that regard, Dunn is no more of a key than a number of others we have (Dieng) or might acquire through free agency or trades down the road. Dunn might be important as part of a trade to acquire a solid supporting cast member or might grow into one himself. But right now, he hasn't shown anything to suggest he'll be more than a role player on this team (bench defender). In my view that makes him one of many possibilities to be part of an eventually championship roster. But to me that doesn't make him a key. I'm reserving that term for our young potential stars and thankfully we have 3 of them -- each with a lot to learn but all of them very young and very promising.

Good post, Lip. Completely agree here.