Kris Dunn is grateful for the Utah Jazz, and they should be grateful for him

The Utah Jazz should be just as grateful to have Kris Dunn as he is to be here.

The Utah Jazz gave Kris Dunn a chance when few other teams were willing to. They brought him in on a fairly inexpensive contract with the hope that they could fix whatever was broken about his game. He wasn’t a great scorer and shot inconsistently from outside of the paint, so the Jazz were focused on helping him improve his offense.

And he did just that. While it’s still a small sample size, across the time he played for the team in the 2022-2023 season, and this year’s preseason, Dunn looks to be a more confident and reliable shooter. Will that last? Only time will tell, but it seems like Dunn is a new player.

So much so, that Dunn spoke glowingly about the opportunity the Jazz gave him, telling the Roundball Roundup podcast (via Sports Illustrated);

"I’m forever grateful for the Utah Jazz,” Dunn said. Give me the opportunity since last year with the 10-days, and you know, Will [Hardy] and the staff, even my teammates just allowing me, you know — last year to play my game and get comfortable — and everybody, you know, welcome me with open arms, so I’m definitely grateful."

And honestly, the Jazz should be grateful for him. He’s someone who can change the course of the game alone with just his play on defense. He’s someone who’s going to provide a solid defensive boost on the perimeter, and paired with Walker Kessler and Ochai Agbaji, may end up being one of the best trios on defense the NBA has.

Dunn has every reason to be thankful for the Jazz, but the Jazz should be thankful for him, as he gives the team a solid point guard to turn to if and when Talen Horton-Tucker fumbles the bag.