Ryan Dunn Could Be a Perfect Fit for the OKC Thunder

The draft board is slowly taking shape, with the 2024 NBA Draft right around the corner. The Oklahoma City Thunder are primed to own two lottery picks in the June draft, which could make them the perfect landing spot for Virginia Cavaliers Forward Ryan Dunn. 

While the 6-foot-8 swingman has some glaring red flags, particularly on the offensive side of the ball, his ready-made skillset makes him an intriguing target for a contending team picking high in the draft. 

This season with the Cavaliers, Dunn is averaging 8.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2.4 blocks per tilt, shooting 56 percent from the floor, a lowly 21 percent from beyond the arc, and just 53 percent from the charity stripe. 

Dunn has started all 28 games for UVA so far this season, where he has proved himself to be one of the best defensive prospects we have seen since Matisse Thybulle. The forward only gives up 0.735 points per possession, including a jaw-dropping 0.467 mark in isolation, disrupting pick-and-roll attacks at a high clip and wiping away spot-up chances to the tune of just 0.835 points per possession. 

The Sophomore uses his length and size to deter shots at the rim, only allowing opponents to shoot 21.2 percent at the cup, ranking in the 99th percentile in the country. Dunn can fly out to shooters, holding his matchup to just 31 percent on catch-and-shoot looks; he uses his athleticism and length to blow up possessions and, at times, spark transition chances the other way. 

There is no questioning the Virginia Product on the defensive end, showing his elite skill set at every turn, and he will immediately make an impact at the next level on that side of the floor. 

The issue comes on the offensive end, where the Cavalier swingman projects to struggle. While Dunn can run the floor hard in transition but is used as a cutter and finishes at the rim at a 69 percent clip, it is difficult to see the role he carves out in a half-court offense. 

Dunn can not shoot the ball and does not project to turn that around any time soon. Judging by his free throw percentage, his hands limit him as a pick-and-roll threat, and he is not a threat in the post. Aside from working in the dunk spot or attempting to cut, there is not much you can do with the 21-year-old. He very quickly could turn into a net negative on that side of the floor, clogging up the paint and stalling out NBA offenses. 

The benefit for the Oklahoma City Thunder, given their talent-filled roster, is their ability to develop Dunn. He will not be asked to do too much in year one other than be a situational defensive ace for the Bricktown boys while getting to work with one of the best G League staffs in the NBA and a renowned shooting coach in Chip Engelland.