Our exit interview series on the 2026 Clippers continues with veteran guard Kris Dunn.
Basic Information
Height: 6’3
Weight: 205 pounds
Position: Shooting Guard/Point Guard
Age: 32
Years in NBA: 10
Key Regular Season Stats (for Clippers): 7.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.4 turnovers in 27.2 minutes per game across 82 games played (68 starts) on 47.6/37.4/76.5 (2.6 3PA, 1.0 FTA) shooting splits (58.1 True Shooting)
Expectations
With the additions of Chris Paul and Bradley Beal last summer, the expectation was that the Clippers were purposely leaning in a more offense-oriented direction after their offense fell apart against the Nuggets in the 2025 playoffs. Rightly or wrongly, Dunn was at the center of the criticisms towards the Clippers’ offense, as the Nuggets left him wide open from three and Dunn could not make them pay. Thus, it was expected that Dunn would play a lesser role in the Clippers’ rotation in 2026 than he did in 2025, when he started most of the season and played heavy minutes. There was even a sentiment Dunn would be out of the rotation entirely, but this was not a popular suggestion due to the importance of Dunn’s defense and leadership.
Reality
As discussed in nearly all of these exit interviews, expectations did not come close to reality. Kris Dunn played in more games, started more games, and played more minutes per game this season than he did in 2025, going against the Clippers’ implicit desire to reduce his role on the team. In fact, Dunn played in every single game this season, an extremely impressive feat in 2026 when the NBA game is so fast-paced and difficult on players’ bodies.
On the whole, Dunn was one of the Clippers’ most consistent players in the past season, not just because of his availability but because his effort, intensity, and production generally did not vary much. It was a fascinating season from Dunn, as his defense noticeably slipped from 2025, when he was one of the best perimeter defenders in the entire NBA. His defense this past season ranged from “good” to “excellent” but rarely hit the highs of 2025. He only received a single All-Defense vote, and it’s hard to argue he should have placed over any of the players that actually made the All-Defense teams.
On the other hand, Dunn’s offense was much better this past season: he scored more, handed out more assists, and shot better from two-point range, three-point range, and the free throw line. Dunn’s overall shot variety changed a bit as well – he took fewer of his shots from three-point range, and got to the line a ton more (22 attempts in all of 2025, 81 this past year). It’s not like Dunn was a dynamo on offense, but he consistently made his presence felt more than the prior year, when he was mostly just a spot-up shooter.
Considering the Clippers were paying Kris just over $5.4M this past year, it’s hard to be disappointed in what he brought to the table, even with the slippage on defense. His ability to handle the ball a bit, make a decent chunk of open threes, and play strong defense made him one of the better players on the Clippers, and it was often hard for the Clippers to take him off the court due to the weaknesses of their other options.
Still, going forward, it’s hard to imagine the Clippers wanting Dunn to play a similarly-sized role. We have seen in the playoffs for years that offensively-challenged guards/wings struggle to stay on the court as the competition rises – just these playoffs Dean Wade and Lu Dort were notable examples. Dunn is a valuable player in the regular season, adds a sense of toughness and fire that the team can lack, and appears to be a truly critical piece of the locker room and team chemistry. I don’t think he should go anywhere. But as he ages into his mid 30s and the Clippers pivot in a different direction, moving Dunn to a lower-minutes bench role seems optimal.
Future with Clippers
Kris Dunn is under contract for next season at $5.685M, but that number is non-guaranteed, so the Clippers could theoretically part ways at no cost to clear more cap room. I say theoretically because it feels extremely unlikely that the Clippers would do that. Dunn has been worth much, much more to the Clippers than the 3 year, $16M deal they signed him to in the summer of 2024 – not just on the court, but as a locker room leader and overall beloved presence in the organization. At age 32, slippage is likely in the next few years, but bringing Dunn back on a longer deal at a similar number to the one he just held (maybe a bit higher) as a key bench piece feels right. It’s possible the Clippers part ways with Dunn, but I’d expect him to be on the team for at least next season and hopefully longer, even if the team should find ways to make him a less critical part of the rotation.
