These 3 Memphis Grizzlies have the most to prove in Training Camp

Player No. 2: Memphis Grizzlies G Kris Dunn

Heck, Kris Dunn may not even be a Memphis Grizzly at the start of the 2021 season. That, in itself, is a reason why he has so much to prove during this year’s training camp. The former 5th-overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft never saw his career pan out how many expected, but he can still fill a vital role in the NBA.

According to Commercial Appeal, Kris Dunn will be on the Grizzlies’ training camp roster. This implies that they want to keep him around. Or at the very least, they want to give him a chance to make the final roster.

Dunn had a solid start to his career, averaging 13.4 points, six assists, and two steals per game in his second season in the league. He didn’t necessarily look like an offensive superstar, but he was able to facilitate the game well and he was a really strong defender, as evident by his per-game steal numbers.

After a slight regression statistically in his third year, Dunn’s role was lessened in year four. Year five saw him sidelined with an injury for all but four games, leading him near the bottom of his downward spiral. But the spiral can stop here.

Dunn has been given an opportunity that may be better for his career than anybody thinks. On a Grizzlies team that is likely looking for a new, cheaper backup point guard, Dunn can prove that he’s capable of filling that role with his high ceiling on defense. If Dunn makes the final roster, it almost seems like an inevitability for him to become Ja Morant’s long-term backup.