From the moment Keaton Wagler was drafted to the LA Clippers, there has been an underlying, unanswered question looming in the air: who will be in the starting backcourt on opening night alongside Darius Garland? There are only two realistic options, Keaton Wagler or Kris Dunn, and head coach Tyronn Lue must have it figured out in the coming weeks.
There are pros and cons to each; Wagler can space the floor better, provide more scoring, and handle playmaking duties to a higher capacity, but is just 19 years old with zero NBA experience. Dunn, on the other hand, is a veteran, top-notch defender who complements Garland very well. However, he cannot shoot the three-ball at a high level, and often struggles to leave an impact in the scoring department.
That said, with both guards’ strengths and weaknesses in mind, Lue has to decide which one is fit for the starting five.
Tyronn Lue’s choice on the starter next to Darius Garland should be obvious
At first glance, picking between Keaton Wagler and Kris Dunn to start might be a tough call to make for Tyronn Lue. Understandably so, there are clear differences, and if the wrong choice is made, the LA Clippers could begin the year on the wrong foot. We saw how that worked out for them last season, and where they ended up because of it.
In the same breath, Lue should not overcomplicate the decision. The smart, better choice for the team is Dunn, and there is really no other way around it.
While Wagler might be a good offensive option, the Clippers’ starters will already have plenty of scoring and playmaking coming from Darius Garland, Brandon Ingram (assuming the trade goes through), and Rui Hachimura.
What they lack is defense, and that is the exact area Dunn thrives in.
In fact, Dunn is one of the best point-of-attack defenders in basketball and has proven himself since joining the Clippers by finishing the last two seasons top seven in steals per game and top ten in deflections.
Additionally, starting Dunn allows Wagler to gain his first bit of experience off the bench, and when he’s learned the basics, Lue can always make the switch.
So, in the season opener, Lue’s best bet to win while developing Wagler is to have Dunn next to Garland. Doing so might draw controversy at first, but it’s the correct way to go about things.
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