The Sixer Sense
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The Case for and Against Drafting Kris Dunn

By Michael Bronson

Mar 19, 2016; Raleigh, NC, USA; Providence Friars guard Kris Dunn (3) waves to the fans after being removed from the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels in the second half during the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at PNC Arena. The Tar Heels won 85-66. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 19, 2016; Raleigh, NC, USA; Providence Friars guard Kris Dunn (3) waves to the fans after being removed from the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels in the second half during the second round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at PNC Arena. The Tar Heels won 85-66. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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Kris Dunn could be the Philadelphia 76ers’ answer at point guard, but is he worth passing a player with more potential?

Kris Dunn seems like a perfect fit for the Philadelphia 76ers. While Ish Smith did just enough at point guard to keep the Sixers from having the worst record in NBA history, Smith is a below average player and the Sixers need a much better player than him at the position running the point. Dunn could be that player, but he might not have the superstar potential like other players the Sixers could select.

Dunn is 22 years old, has a height of 6’4”, weights 205 pounds, and has a wingspan 6’9”. During his four-year career at Providence, he averaged 12.8 points, 5.8 assists, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 steals, and 3.3 turnovers per game. This past season, he averaged 16.4 points, 6.2 assists, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 steals, and 3.5 turnovers.

I first heard of Dunn around this time last year, when I heard a good point guard prospect playing in Rhode Island decided to go complete his fourth year of college and put off the draft another year. This great article by Jonathan Wasserman written at the time, showed why going back to college was a risky decision for Dunn. Dunn has struggled with a serious shoulder injury that required two surgeries and caused him to miss several games during his freshman and sophomore seasons, and Dunn’s coach recommended he enter the 2015 draft after having a healthy and great junior season. While the decision to return to school didn’t hurt his draft stock and he got to experience a win in the NCAA Tournament, with the exception of Buddy Hield, Dunn will be at least three years older than the other players projected to go in the lottery according to draftexpress.com and cbssports.com’s mock drafts.

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When it comes to the NBA draft, I’ll usually choose the younger player before the older one, if the prospects are close in talent and production. If the Sixers win the lottery or have the second pick, they will likely chose Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram, so the Sixers would have to drop to third or fourth or use the Lakers’ pick — which will be four-to-five, if the Sixers receive the pick — to consider picking Dunn.

As someone that believes Smith’s contribution to the Sixers tends to be a bit overrated, that the Sixers have no chance of signing a top point guard like Mike Conley in the upcoming free agency, and that there are no realistic trade scenarios for a good point guard, Dunn’s ability to fill a position of need for years makes me have to reconsider my preference to draft a younger player.

Dunn has a lot of strengths, and his shooting has improved a lot over the past year. While I believe Dunn will be a starting caliber point guard in the NBA, I haven’t been impressed most of the times that I have watched him play this past college season. Maybe I was just expecting him to seem more dominant as a legitimate NBA prospect playing for Providence, make more flashy passes that reminded me of watching my favorite player — after Allen Iverson — Jason Kidd or see a player whose ceiling is hig her than Brandon Knight‘s. I can see Dragan Bender, Jaylen Brown, and Jamal Murray someday becoming better players than Dunn, but Brown is the only one I’m 100 percent certain I would choose Dunn over, because Brown has the potential to be the biggest bust in this year’s draft.

We’ve looked at Dunn before, both as a compliment to Brandon Ingram, and on his own merits.  As the team looks to add maturity to the roster, Dunn certainly is one such option to consider.

Next: Bryan Colangelo Surfing Sixers Off-Season

If the Sixers fall to third after the lottery and that is their only pick in the top of the 2016 draft, whether the Sixers draft Dunn or one of the younger players comes down to Bryan Colangelo’s view of Jahlil Okafor and Joel Embiid. If Bryan has a similar view to mine and worries about Okafor’s ability to become an above average defender and Embiid’s health, he will not select Dunn with the third pick. If Bryan believes Okafor will become a good defender and/or Embiid will stay healthy and reach his full potential, selecting Dunn would be a great way to move “The Process” forward.