Our player preview series for the 2027 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
Regular Season Stats: 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 shooting splits (2.6 3PA, 1.0 FTA) with 58.1% TS
Contract Status: In the last year of a 3 year, $16.3M deal, making $5.7M
Expectations
Much like the last two seasons, Kris is coming into the season with expectations of being a bench guard that plays significant rotation minutes for the Clippers. However, the last two years, Dunn frequently ended up in the starting lineup due to injuries and underperformances elsewhere; he’s started 126 of his 156 games as a Clipper. I wouldn’t expect Dunn to start this year, but it’s not impossible, and he certainly should be expected to be a key part of the rotation. From a production perspective, a handful of points, secondary ballhandling, and excellent defense are what Dunn should be able to provide in the minutes he receives.
Strengths
In just two seasons, Kris has rightfully earned recognition as one of the best perimeter defenders to ever don a Clippers jersey. He’s fantastic at the point of attack against both guards and wings, and is a terrific help defender that forces a ton of turnovers and deflections. His defense slipped last year from 2025, when for my money he was maybe the most impactful per-minute perimeter defender in the NBA, but he was still really good last season. Kris will probably slow down as he heads into his mid-30s, but I think it’s fair to assume he should remain a significant plus on defense this season.
By modern NBA standards, Kris has been quite durable as a Clipper, logging 74 games played in 2025 and appearing in all 82 contests last season – a rarity in today’s league. Kris doesn’t log huge minutes, but he’s mostly been available when the Clippers have needed him, and that availability has been part of the reason he’s started so consistently.
Kris is also a locker room leader and positive behind the scenes by all accounts. He seems to be beloved by teammates, coaches, and everyone in the organization, and that has real value. Even though the Clippers are shifting younger, they will need veterans to maintain order, and that seems like something Kris can offer.
While not a good offensive player, Kris at least has the ballhandling capabilities to help get the offense into sets to relieve the primary ballhandler, and is capable of making quick reads in the halfcourt. For his career he has an assist to turnover ratio of well over 2:1, so despite some ugly turnovers when put under pressure, he’s relatively surehanded. That little bit of extra ballhandling has been useful for the Clippers in the past, and it should still be of value this season when Dunn is paired with Darius Garland or Keaton Wagler.
Weaknesses
While Kris’ three-point shooting numbers look decent (37.6% last year), he’s a well below-average shooter considering volume (2.6 attempts per game) and defensive intensity (always left wide open). Even though he makes threes, defenders consistently sag off Kris, and that really damages offensive spacing when he’s on the court. Dunn’s ability to handle and pass has made him viable as a screen setter in the pick and roll and then as a playmaker in the short roll, but it’s just not a great use of an off-guard. Ultimately, the gumming of spacing that happens with Kris on the court has made it tough to play him big minutes against the best NBA teams, even with his defensive excellence and other positives.
Kris is unfortunately also not much of a threat to score inside the arc, as he’s a below-the-rim attacker that can’t score over defenders and does not have a midrange bag outside of a useful floater. Kris did get to the line a lot more last season than before, showing a greater deal of aggression in attacking closeouts and going to the rim, but he’s just not an effective scorer almost anywhere on the court at the NBA level. Despite his ballhandling and playmaking, that deficiency as a scorer makes him a negative offensive player in almost every context.
Summary
Kris is a personal favorite of mine, largely due to his defensive prowess, intensity, and consistent availability. That said, he’s heading into the back part of his career and is a veteran who could help contending teams, so considering he’s only a very reasonable, expiring deal, I think he’s one of the most likely trade candidates on the roster. The Clippers might well want to keep Dunn as a veteran presence and as a cheap, consistent role player moving forward, but there’s a good chance he gets moved this season. If he does, I will remember him fondly and root for him at his next destination.
