NBA Rumors: Bulls Could Trade Kris Dunn To Hawks For Two Second-Round Picks, Per ‘Pippen Ain’t Easy’
The 2019 NBA offseason featured crazy transactions involving several superstars who decided to leave their respective teams to chase for a championship title somewhere else. All the big names on the free agency market may have already found a new home, but the trade market isn’t expected to be quiet for long. As of now, one of the players who is expected to be traded before the start of the 2019-20 NBA season is Kris Dunn of the Chicago Bulls.
After establishing a promising performance in his first year in Chicago, Kris Dunn has been a huge disappointment in the 2018-19 NBA season where he only averaged 11.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 42.5 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from beyond the arc. At 25, Dunn still fits the timeline of the Bulls’ rebuilding plan but with the presence of Tomas Satoransky, Ryan Arcidiacono, and Coby White on their roster, the former No. 5 overall pick is currently considered as the odd man out in Chicago. In his recent article, Aaron Peterson of Fansided’s Pippen Ain’t Easy suggested several trade scenarios involving Dunn.
Of all the potential suitors, the Atlanta Hawks proved to be the most intriguing landing spot for Kris Dunn. In the proposed trade deal by Fansided’s Pippen Ain’t Easy, the Hawks will be sending a trade package including two 2020 second-round picks to the Bulls in exchange for Dunn.
“In Dunn, the Hawks would receive not only a productive player, but one who would fit the team’s timeline and could be a massive steal if he plays anything like what he was expected to become. Dunn compliments the lack of defensive ability in Trae Young, so Lloyd pierce could be creative in moving around Dunn and Kevin Huerter in defensive situations. Off the bench, Dunn may be more comfortable playing a role and could focus on what he does best, rather than competing for a starting position as he did in Chicago.”
How will the Kris Dunn saga play out? Will this season be a failure if the Bulls don’t make the playoffs? @DarnellMayberry opens his mailbag: https://t.co/c1KMWEbxdz
— The Athletic Chicago (@TheAthleticCHI) August 23, 2019
If the trade becomes a reality, it will not only be beneficial for the Hawks, but also for the Bulls. Instead of risking the possibility of losing Kris Dunn in the summer of 2020 as an unrestricted free agent without getting anything in return, the Bulls would be acquiring two future second-round picks. With their collection of future draft assets, the Bulls are unlikely to keep the picks that they would potentially receive from the Hawks. As Peterson noted, the Bulls could use them as trade chips to acquire quality players during the 2019-20 NBA season or obtain a first-round pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.
