With all of the ongoing NBA debates, one the NBA community can collectively agree on is that Kris Dunn is the LA Clippers’ best perimeter defender and one of the best in the NBA. Dunn might have the quickest hands and feet in the league, and with a fast recovery time, he can contort his body backward and defend if needed.
In fact, Dunn consistently had high deflection and steals averages throughout his 2024-25 regular season campaign, which is extremely impressive for someone who played only 24.1 minutes per game.
However, Dunn’s minutes were not higher because of his offensive weaknesses. He is a great offensive rebounder, off-ball mover, and decision-maker in the high-post area, but three-point shooting is far from his strength.
Furthermore, Dunn was constantly missing wide-open playoff three-pointers to the point where head coach Tyronn Lue had to sit him. This key detail could lead to him being traded.
If the Clippers ship off Dunn, they need someone just as good defensively who can score on offense. Then only would it make sense to move on from the All-Defense caliber talent.
That said, a guard defender who performs comparatively to Dunn but can score is on the block. The only hurdle is the money he is being paid.
The best replacement available for Kris Dunn is Jrue Holiday from the Boston Celtics
Jrue Holiday is similar to Kris Dunn in terms of defensive force. Both guards are top-notch in racking up steals, deflections, and forced turnovers, leading the Clippers to believe they would not lose anything by upgrading.
Moreover, throughout the 2024-25 regular season, Holiday averaged 11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.9 assists, shooting 44.3% from the field and 35.3% from the floor. Defensively, he had 132 deflections on the year and was second on the Celtics in steals per game and defensive rating(of players who played at least 15 minutes).
Opposing teams are avoiding phone calls from the Celtics regarding Holiday because he has three years and $104 million left to receive. Conversely, the Clippers may show interest because their need for a player like Dunn with a scoring mindset is massive.
LA would be overpaying Holiday, but it would not cost an arm and a leg if he can return to the near 20-point-per-game scorer he was for the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Celtics may even include future draft capital in the trade package if it means they will receive Norman Powell and Drew Eubanks.