Ryan Dunn has loved a powerful begin to his life within the NBA. Chosen with the twenty eighth choose within the 2024 NBA Draft, Dunn is quickly outplaying expectations. He is already rising as one of many higher younger point-of-attack defenders within the league and has begun to showcase some upside as a fringe risk.
Dunn is capturing 39.4% on 4.1 makes an attempt per sport over his first eight outings within the league. According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, a number of NBA scouts are excessive on Dunn’s perimeter scoring potential.
“A number of scouts this week instructed ESPN they imagine Dunn could possibly be a reputable risk from past the arc, a great match on a roster bereft of plus wing defenders aside from O’Neale,” Bontemps wrote. “Phoenix did a pleasant job deepening its roster, drafting Dunn and Oso Ighodaro, and including Tyus Jones, Monte Morris and Mason Plumlee in free company.”
At 6-foot-6, Dunn has all of the instruments essential to turn into an elite three-and-D wing sooner or later. Granted, his capturing numbers are probably the byproduct of taking part in in a system the place opposing defenses are locked in on Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. Nonetheless, the velocity at which Dunn has tailored to the NBA’s tempo and physicality is very encouraging.
Given their restricted draft belongings and monetary flexibility, the Suns had been in determined want of some younger abilities. They drafted properly this summer time and are already reaping the advantages of their thorough scouting work.
Dunn is unlikely to be a ceiling-raiser for the Suns within the close to future. Nonetheless, he fills a real place and function of want throughout the rotation and clearly has vital potential. If he can proceed changing his perimeter photographs at his present clip whereas additionally locking down on protection, he’ll get reliable minutes all 12 months — and, sure, that features the playoffs.
