Kris Dunn continues proving he was the steal of the offseason

Three games into the season, the LA Clippers are massively outperforming expectations. Picked by many to finish outside the play-in range in the Western Conference, the Clippers have now won two of their three contests to begin the 2024-25 season. Those two wins were far from "gimme's" too - they were wins over the Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors, both on the road.

To add on to that, LA's lone loss so far came on opening night to the Phoenix Suns, and that was in overtime by one possession. A few lucky bounces the other way in the opener, and the Clippers could be looking at an undefeated 3-0 start to the year. It is of course a long season, but putting out this kind of effort early on has been massive in quieting some of the team's harshest critics.

It is no secret that the Clippers' role players added during the offseason have played a massive part in making this fast start possible. One of the most crucial guys during this early stretch has been Kris Dunn. The defensive-minded guard came in with a certain reputation on that side of the basketball, and he has more than proven he is capable of being a game-changer for this team.

Dunn has been a lock-down defender

The way Dunn has frustrated opposing ball-handlers has been legitimately notable. Players can not think of throwing a lazy pass around him without risk of it being tipped or stolen outright. Kris has picked up six total steals through the Clippers' first three games, giving him a 2.0 average for the season.

When you talk about a role player that knows what his job is and does not try to do too much, Kris Dunn is a perfect example. He talked all throughout training camp and preseason about what kind of impact he can bring to the Clippers, and now he is putting his money where his mouth is. Dunn has been nothing short of a fantastic addition to LA's backcourt.

It seems that many outsiders misjudged Dunn's potential impact when evaluating the Clippers' roster this summer. Perhaps it is the fact that Kris has scarcely been on a winning team in the past, and his skills have not always been in the spotlight. But regardless, the fact that the Clippers signed him on a three-year, $16.2 million deal means they pulled off an absolute fleece.

Dunn's contract looks like one of the best in the entire association right now. It is clear that the Clippers got an absolute steal in signing him, and he will continue to elevate their ceiling the more he produces at this current level.