More on Kris Dunn Free Agency
The Hawks and Dunn agreed to a two-year deal Saturday morning. His second year is a player option. It’s still unclear what the exact dollar amount is. The Athletic was told two years, $10 million, but it is likely going to be a bit less than that so the Hawks can use the room exception, which is $4.767 million and has a 5-percent raise, which would be $9.77 million over two years. Using the room exception doesn’t affect cap space.
KC Johnson: The Bulls plan to not issue a qualifying offer to Kris Dunn, per sources. The Clippers are among several teams expected to show interest in the soon-to-be-free-agent guard. Can also confirm Bulls will extend qualifying offer to Denzel Valentine, which @Darnell Mayberry had 1st.
KC Johnson: Marc Eversley said Kris Dunn “is on the road, rehabbing by himself,” which the Bulls support. Bulls have a decision on whether to extend a qualifying offer to Dunn.
For the first time since March, the Bulls are eligible to conduct group workouts this week. But Kris Dunn won’t be a part of them. The pending free agent, who finished second in the NBA in steals per game, isn’t participating in the three-week voluntary program, sources said.
When he was in town, Dunn was one of the players allowed into the Advocate Center before it re-opened for individual workouts in early June because he was rehabilitating his injury. A source said his right knee is fully rehabilitated now. But with his future contract status uncertain, he isn’t participating in the Bulls’ program.
Kris Dunn appears as the most appealing among them. The No. 5 overall pick in 2016 just finished his fourth season. His rookie contract has run out. The Bulls must make a decision on him this summer. His qualifying offer is for $7 million. I reached out to Darnell Mayberry, our Bulls expert, to ask whether he had the sense if Chicago’s newly hired front office would extend it to Dunn, making him a restricted free agent. “Probably,” Mayberry said. “Makes smart business sense.”
Bobby Marks: The Qualifying Offer for Kris Dunn is now $7.1M (instead of $4.6M). Dunn was injured in late January and was at risk of falling short of the starter criteria in his contract (avg. of 41 starts over 2 years). The criteria was prorated from 41 to 36.75- Dunn averaged 38 games.
There have been multiple rumors and reports linking Dunn and the Clippers. There appears to be some smoke there. I see the fit, even if I’d rather have a better shooter at that position.
League gossip has existed all season that the Clippers are at least one team that planned to show interest in Dunn this offseason. Whether his injury changes that or what other teams get involved is unknown.
The Chicago Bulls have exercised the third-year option on Lauri Markkanen, and fourth-year options on guards Kris Dunn and Denzel Valentine. By exercising their options, all players will be under contract with the Bulls for the 2019-20 season. Markkanen came to the Bulls in a Draft-night trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves on June 22, 2017, in which his rights were acquired, along with Kris Dunn and Zach LaVine, in exchange for Jimmy Butler and the rights to the 16th selection in the 2017 NBA Draft. Markkanen was selected to the All-Rookie First Team last season after playing in 68 games (68 starts) and averaging 15.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 29.7 minutes per game.
