Suns Forward Already Has an Elite Trait, but One Area Could Change Everything

Ryan Dunn’s defensive reputation did not arrive the way most people might assume.

A PHNX Suns post highlighted one of the more interesting parts of his story: Dunn admitted that in high school, he “couldn’t guard,” and said he did not unlock his full defensive potential until he got to Virginia.

That is a funny quote now because defense has become the center of his NBA value.

For a lot of high-level prospects, defense is something they learn later. That is not always because they cannot defend. Sometimes it is because they are asked to do so much offensively that defense becomes secondary. The best young players are often primary scorers, primary creators, late-clock options, and transition engines from an early age. When a player has to carry an offense, it is easy for defensive habits to lag.

Dunn’s path was different.

He did not enter the NBA as a polished scorer or a player expected to carry possessions. He entered as a defender first. That can limit a young player’s offensive freedom, but it can also give him a clear path to minutes. Dunn’s job was simple: defend, run the floor, rebound, cut, and make enough shots to keep defenses honest.

Dunn averaged 6.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in 19.1 minutes per game, modest numbers on the surface. But his impact was never supposed to be measured only by scoring. His value came in the possessions he disrupted, the matchups he absorbed, and the energy he brought to a Phoenix Suns team that needed more athleticism on the wing.

The advanced defensive indicators support the eye test. Dunn’s defensive profile graded well in several areas that matter for a wing. When players are guarded by Dunn, they shoot 1.6% worse from the field. The eye test backs up the stats. Dunn is strong, quick, and can switch onto multiple positions. This defensive prowess should allow him to stick in the rotation and play important minutes. 

At 6-foot-7 with a long wingspan, Dunn has the frame to guard wings and the mobility to survive against guards. He can pressure the ball, slide his feet, recover after screens, and contest shots without needing to gamble constantly. For a young player, that kind of defensive discipline is rare.

It also says something about his development.

Dunn was not always this. He had to grow into it. He had to learn how to use his body, how to read offensive actions, and how to impact games without needing the ball. Virginia helped sharpen that part of him, and Phoenix is now benefiting from it.

But the next step is obvious.

Dunn has to become a more dependable shooter.

He shot 31.1 percent from three as a rookie. That is not low enough to make him unplayable, but it is not high enough to fully unlock his role either. In the modern NBA, defensive wings have to punish defenses for ignoring them. If opponents can sag off Dunn, they can clog driving lanes for Devin Booker, shrink the floor around Phoenix’s guards, and make it harder for the Suns to use him in closing lineups.

That is the difference between being a defensive specialist and being a high-level two-way role player.

Dunn does not need to become a star scorer. The Suns do not need him to take 15 shots a game or create offense late in the clock. But they do need him to be credible. He has to hit open corner threes, attack closeouts with confidence, and avoid becoming someone defenses can completely ignore.

If that happens, his value will skyrocket. 

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Wes Dixon is a contributing writer to SunsRoundtable. He can be reached at [email protected].