Ryan

Dunn

Dunn is set to miss a third straight game to wrap up the weekend. Oso Ighodaro has taken advantage of injuries to Dunn and Kevin Durant and should comfortable be in the rotation against Orlando.

This is the second leg of a back-to-back, and Dunn sitting out is seen as precautionary. This is their final game of Summer League, and in his four appearances, Dunn averaged 5.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. The No. 28 pick in the draft will look to carry over this defensive production into the regular season for the Suns.

Dunn made his Suns summer debut on Saturday, and things went as many expected. An absolute problem defensively, the former Virginia wing remains a work in progress on the other end of the floor. Dunn missed all three of his 3-point attempts and was responsible for four turnovers, but the defensive production was also present. The good news for Phoenix is that they have the offensive firepower to cover for Dunn’s deficiencies, while he’s a good enough defender to have an immediate impact.

What Dunn lacks on the offensive end, he makes up for on defense. As a sophomore, he only averaged 8.1 points per game, but he added 6.9 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 2.3 blocks in 27.5 minutes. He’s an athletic forward who can turn defense into transition buckets. The key for him will be developing his jump shot. If he can be enough of a threat that opposing teams can’t simply leave him alone on the wing, he should be able to play a prominent role due to what he brings on the defensive end. Now, it’s on him to improve his deep-range shot after he shot 7-of-35 on 3-pointers throughout last season. While the Nuggets drafted Dunn, he’s headed to Phoenix as part of a trade that sent DaRon Holmes II’s draft rights to Denver. The Suns need wing depth, especially for defenders as good as Dunn. The perimeter shot will be a work in progress, but Phoenix has the offensive weapons needed to cover that.