I think it is safe to say Kris Dunn has not only surprised Bulls fans but the entire league, so far in this season. The second-year point guard joined the Bulls over the offseason along with Zach LaVine and the #7 draft pick that became Lauri Markkanen in the draft night trade with the Timberwolves for Jimmy Butler and the Bulls #16 pick.

While LaVine may have originally been considered the centerpiece of this trade for the Bulls (and probably still is), Dunn and rookie Lauri Markkanen have also proven themselves to be building blocks in this rebuilding period for the Bulls.

However, it has been a strange season so far for the Bulls with the team being in a rebuilding state, attempting to tank (sort of) for a better draft pick, the infamous incident between Portis and Mirotic, followed by Mirotic trade rumors. There has been a lot of uncertainty surrounding this season for the Bulls and the direction they’re heading, yet Dunn has been one of the few bright spots for this team given his significant improvement in this season in comparison to his rookie season with the Timberwolves.

Noticeable Improvement

Dunn’s rookie season was far from stellar or even promising for that matter, making it understandable why the Timberwolves were willing to include Dunn in the Butler trade after just one season, despite the Timberwolves having just taken him with the fifth pick in the 2016 draft.

His season did not start off that hot, however. Heading into this season, Jerian Grant held the starting point guard role for the Bulls. After several promising games from Dunn and just as many uninspiring games from Grant, Dunn earned the starting role.

Since taking over as a starter, Dunn has shown flashes of the potential that made him a top-5 pick in the draft. The defensive ability has always been there, and fans are really getting to see that this season, but now we are also witnessing the scoring and passing ability of Dunn as well.

The statistics alone show the immense progress that Dunn has made from year one to year two.

Realistic Expectations

Dunn is already showing that he can be a reliable starting point guard in this league. But make no mistake, Bulls fans should keep realistic expectations regarding Dunn. It is not fair or realistic to expect Dunn to develop into a leading scorer for the team. He can contribute buckets, get teammates looks, and most of all, be a great defender, but he is no Steph Curry or Damian Lillard.

Don’t get me wrong, I would love to see Dunn become that type of scorer, but it just isn’t realistic given what type of player Dunn is now. His strongest attribute is and hopefully, will continue to be, his defense.

The biggest things for Dunn to improve on going forward are improving shooting efficiency, reducing turnovers, and committing fewer fouls. Basically, Dunn needs to improve his decision making and efficiency. He clearly has the talent to not only continue being the Bulls starting point guard going forward, but to excel. It is just a matter of making continual strides.

If Dunn can continue to build off his success so far this season, maybe he can become that reliable third or fourth scoring option moving forward. With LaVine only a few games back from his ACL injury, the Bulls haven’t really had a reliable go-to scorer each night. At this point, the hope for Bulls fans is that LaVine and Markkanen are the first and second scoring options. If Dunn remains consistent, perhaps he can be the third option on offense and the defensive anchor in the backcourt when the Bulls become competitive again. The future of the Bulls is promising.