As things presently stand, Utah Jazz point guard Kris Dunn is a free agent.
Sure, it's been reported that he signed a new deal with the Los Angeles Clippers or at least plans to land in LA via a sign-and-trade at some point in the not-too-distant future, but technically, he remains a free agent, with an ability to sign anywhere he'd like.
When the dust settles, if that team isn't Utah, it's safe to say the Jazz made a mistake, as Dunn was a very good player last season for a team that, at one time, looked like it could play the role of spoiler in the playoffs.
Initially signed by the Jazz on a 10-day contract back in February of 2023, Dunn parlayed his strong efforts into another 10-day and eventually a standard NBA deal good for the rest of the regular season and 2023-24 too. Appearing in 66 games with 32 starts for Will Hardy's team last season, the former fifth overall pick out of Providence established himself as one of the most dominant defensive guards in the NBA, setting his teammates up for assists as an on-ball playmaker sure, but really producing for the Jazz as a defender both on and off the ball.
Playing alongside everyone from Keyonte George to Collin Sexton as a low-usage point guard, Dunn served as a veteran presence on a young team in need of proven leaders and was celebrated by his teammates, fans, and even coach alike, with Hardy celebrating his leadership both in the locker room and on the court for the team.
While Dunn may not be a full-time starter on a good team heading into the future and may have even been relegated to a less prominent role for the team in 2024-25, should he have returned due to the addition of Isaiah Collier in the draft, when a team like the Jazz has money to spend and a desire to develop their young players for future success, saying goodbye to a quality vet with scheme and position versatility is simply a bad idea at best and asset misallocation at worst. If the deal with LA falls apart, the Jazz should strongly consider bringing Dunn back for now, even if they trade him in the future.
Gordon Chiesa questioned the Jazz's team-building strategy
Is it a bit unusual to see a cap space team like the Jazz allow one of the true success stories of the 2023-24 season to leave either via free agency signing or trade – the exact move is still very much up in the air – for at most a second-round pick? Sure thing, Dunn completely turned his career around last season and was strongly courted by at least one team with serious playoff aspirations as a result, but frankly, this isn't the first time Danny Ainge has sacrificed the present for the future, as it was just a few months ago he traded away multiple rotation players in a series of moves clearly focused on the future.
Discussing the team's free agency period with ESPN, ex-assistant coach Gordon Chiesa questioned Ainge's decision-making, as giving away good players isn't going to make the team better.
“Kelly Olynyk, besides being a very good player — he's popular. His teammates liked him. They liked him off the court, and as a floor mate, they loved the way he played. Fontecchio, that guy played hard and made shots, and you get the feeling he has a spirit about himself. Ochai Abaji was a younger player, but I'm sure the younger players liked him as a guy they can relate to,” Chisesa explained via FanNation.
“Will Hardy has to keep talking to the team about being professional,” Chiesa said. “Being the best that you can be individually and increase the win total, but also from your own visualization, people respect you as far as the NBA if you're a free agent type.”
On the one hand, the Jazz clearly don't feel like they have a strong enough infrastructure in place to build a long-term contender, making draft pick acquisition a necessity until that is no longer the case. Then again, the Jazz do have an All-Star in Lauri Markkanen, a great coach in Hardy, and an ability to build their roster out into the future via a trade for someone like Trae Young, should he become available. Had the Jazz stuck together last season, they may have made the playoffs, but instead, they left the draft with three very interesting players in Cody Williams, Collier, and Kyle Filipowski, but no clear path heading into the future.
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