After trading Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks' goal for the foreseeable future should be collecting as much young talent as they can and seeing what's there. One player worth taking a swing on in that regard is Phoenix's Ryan Dunn, who faces an uncertain future with the Suns loaded at both forward spots. The Bucks should have drafted him, but they could try to make up for it now.
Ryan Dunn's Suns future is uncertain
Throughout his first two seasons in Phoenix, Dunn hasn't done much to diminish the narratives that followed him throughout college. He's a tremendous defensive player and capable rebounder, but it remains impossible to ignore his offensive shortcomings. He has averaged 6.4 points for his career, with most of that coming close to the hoop. The 48.8 percent free throw success rate is also ugly.
Valley of the Suns' expert Luke Duffy predicts that Dunn will be gone by the trade deadline. With all of the talent the Suns have at forward, including Miles Bridges, Dillon Brooks, Rasheer Fleming, Koa Peat, and Haywood Highsmith, Dunn earning consistent minutes is far from a guarantee. If he is one of the odd men out, moving him would make sense.
Bridges and Brooks will certainly earn playing time, but all bets are off on the rest. Many said that Fleming was one of the steals of last year's draft, so perhaps the Suns want to get him on the floor sooner rather than later. Phoenix traded into the first round of this past draft to select Peat, so they clearly have faith in him. With Dunn showing little improvement, perhaps they start taking trade calls.
Bucks would make all the sense in the world for Dunn
While the Suns have an abundance of forward talent, things are far more uncertain with the Bucks. They employ Ousmane Dieng, Kyle Kuzma, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nate Ament, and Bogoljub Markovic. That's two rookies, a project player, and two experienced contributors who are on expiring deals, meaning they could leave after the season. Depth could be useful for the future.
Dunn, a player the Milwaukee Bucks had on their radar leading up to the 2024 NBA Draft but passed on in favor of AJ Johnson, would help fill the void. Unlike the Suns, who are in more of a hurry to push for contention to maximize Devin Booker's remaining prime, the Bucks have the time to develop Dunn and see what he's made of, especially with a player-development savant in Taylor Jenkins.
There is no telling whether or not the Suns entertain trading Dunn before the deadline, but if they do, the Milwaukee Bucks should at least give them a call.
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