At the moment, all signs are pointing to the LA Clippers adding to their backcourt with the fifth overall pick; that could be Mikel Brown Jr., Darius Acuff Jr., Keaton Wagler, or even Kingston Flemings. But what does this mean for the Clippers’ rotation? Well, because Tyronn Lue will already have to feed minutes to Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin (if re-signed), that’ll directly lead to Kris Dunn, a defensive specialist who started 68 games in 2025-26, getting less playing time.
He won’t really have an argument to be on the court for extensive periods, unless there’s a game where the Clippers absolutely need to lock up on defense, as the guards ahead of him will have first-priority from Lue and the staff.
Now, if he could shoot the three-ball consistently, at a high clip, then there would be an actual problem. However, over the years, Clipper Nation has come to realize that he can struggle, here and there, in that department.
Kris Dunn will do just fine in a diminished role for the Clippers
Although Kris Dunn will essentially be forced into a role he’ll have no say in, if the LA Clippers go through with the expected, he won’t have any issues making an adjustment. Most players tend to face challenges when their on-court duties change, but Dunn, on the other hand, saw relatively minimal playing time, for a player of his caliber, during his first year in LA.
In fact, Dunn played only 24.1 minutes throughout the 2024-25 season, and, for further context, he had a handful of games where he didn’t even reach 20.
This didn’t affect Dunn, even the slightest, as he averaged an impactful 6.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, shooting 43.9% from the field.
On top of that, he was defending at an All-Defensive level, recording 1.7 steals and ranking among the league leaders in total deflections.
That speaks volumes, and in the grand scheme of things, it gives the Clippers’ coaching staff a true sense of comfort. They can draft the guard of their choice with the fifth pick, and won’t have to worry about a thing regarding Dunn’s production.
Even better, Dunn carries himself as the ideal professional. This implies that, unlike some who may complain when told their role is decreasing, the veteran will put his head down, work hard, as usual, and do what’s best for the team.
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