The LA Clippers have built one of the deepest rosters in the Western Conference for the upcoming season. But the byproduct of adding John Collins, Brook Lopez, Chris Paul and Bradley Beal to this team is that guys like Kris Dunn are simply going to have to have a smaller role.
Dunn was of course a steady presence last year, earning 58 starts in 74 games and carving out a reputation as the team’s most reliable point-of-attack defender. He brought intensity, poise, and structure during a year that saw LA navigate multiple injuries and lineup combinations. However, the Clippers have signaled rather strongly this summer that his role will be more limited going forward.
The addition of Paul alone would have limited Dunn’s opportunities, especially considering the Clippers intend to stagger CP3’s minutes to stabilize their second unit. But adding Beal to a backcourt that already includes James Harden only makes it more difficult to justify playing time for Dunn, whose offensive limitations can be hard to work around when he is not starting.
Dunn likely will see a decrease in minutes this season
That does not mean Dunn is out of the picture completely. What it does mean is that the Clippers are moving toward a pecking order that places offense and versatility at a premium. With Paul orchestrating bench units and Beal likely playing both on and off the ball, there are simply not enough backcourt minutes to go around. And in a nine-man rotation, which Lawrence Frank has openly endorsed, there is not much room for more situational type players.
This could hypothetically open the door for Dunn to eventually be traded to a team that better suits his skillset. On a less loaded roster, he could absolutely play a more meaningful role. But with LA prioritizing scoring and offensive fluidity heading into the 2025-26 campaign, Dunn has become more of an insurance policy than a nightly contributor.
We know that the Clippers still value what he brings on the defensive side of things, it's just that they have too many mouths to feed right now. And in the kind of win-now year that LA is heading into, difficult decisions like this are often necessary. There's going to come a time when the team turns to Dunn to help them win a tough matchup, but if everything goes according to plan, the Clippers are not counting on that being a regular scenario.