Kris Dunn Returns to Minnesota: A Decade Later, the Defensive Specialist Has Found His Lane
When the Minnesota Timberwolves used the fifth overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft to select Kris Dunn out of Providence, they were betting on a fiery, defensive-minded point guard with the potential to develop into a two-way force. Fast forward nearly 10 years, and while Dunn’s path hasn’t followed the traditional arc of a top-five pick, he’s carved out a solid NBA career built on persistence, defensive grit, and adaptability.
Now in his 10th NBA season and just weeks away from turning 32, Dunn is back in Minnesota-at least for a day. The Timberwolves host the Los Angeles Clippers on Super Bowl Sunday, giving Wolves fans another look at a player who once represented the franchise’s future, and who is now, ironically, helping lead a Western Conference rival.
A Rocky Start, But a Resilient Rise
Dunn’s rookie season in Minnesota didn’t exactly light up the stat sheet. He averaged just 3.8 points in 17.1 minutes per game, and the shooting numbers were tough: 37.7% from the field, 28.8% from deep, and 61.0% from the line. But even then, there were flashes-especially on the defensive end-that hinted at the kind of player he could become.
Minnesota didn’t wait around to find out. In 2017, coming off their 13th straight season without a playoff berth, the Wolves made a win-now move.
Dunn, Zach LaVine, and the seventh pick in the draft (which became Lauri Markkanen) were sent to Chicago in exchange for Jimmy Butler and Justin Patton. The deal paid short-term dividends-Butler helped snap the playoff drought-but the relationship soured quickly.
Butler was traded to Philadelphia early in his second year with the team.
Dunn, meanwhile, began the journey that would define his career.
The Long Road: Six Teams, One Identity
After three seasons in Chicago, Dunn bounced around the league-Atlanta, Portland, Utah-and is now in his second season with the Clippers, his sixth NBA team. But despite the movement, Dunn has managed to stay relevant in a league that’s constantly evolving, especially for guards.
Since leaving Minnesota, Dunn has started 260 of his 380 regular-season games. With the Clippers, he’s become a near full-time starter, opening in 45 of 51 games this season and 58 of 74 a year ago. His numbers won’t jump off the page-7.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists this season-but that’s never been the full story with Dunn.
Where he makes his mark is on the defensive end. At 6-foot-3, he’s often tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best perimeter scorer. He’s currently fifth in the league in steals per 36 minutes, averaging nearly two per game-a testament to his instincts, quick hands, and relentless motor.
On Sunday, expect to see plenty of Dunn matched up with Anthony Edwards, Minnesota’s rising star. It’s a full-circle moment: the former top-five pick turned journeyman defender trying to slow down the new face of the franchise that once drafted him.
Still Standing, Still Competing
Dunn is in the second year of a three-year deal with the Clippers. Without an extension, he’ll hit free agency after the 2026-27 season, at age 33. But given the way he’s playing-and the value he brings as a defensive stopper who knows his role-it’s hard to imagine he won’t find another home in the league.
There’s something to be said for players who reinvent themselves, who stay in the league not because of draft pedigree, but because of what they bring night in and night out. Kris Dunn is one of those guys.
He didn’t let a rocky rookie year define him. He kept grinding, kept defending, and now, a decade later, he’s still here-still starting, still guarding the toughest matchups, still doing the dirty work.
And on Sunday, Timberwolves fans will get a close-up of the player he’s become. Not the star they once hoped for, but a pro’s pro-reliable, relentless, and still making an impact.