2025 Suns Player Review: Ryan Dunn was one of the few bright spots this season

Ryan Dunn was one of the few bright spots during his rookie season.

Welcome to our Phoenix Suns Season in Review series, where we take a closer look at each player who suited up during the 2024–25 campaign. One by one, we’ll break down what went right, what went wrong, and what each player can do to take the next step heading into next season.

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The 28th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft ended up as one of the most impactful players in Phoenix during his rookie season.

Let’s not focus on all the things that went wrong this season, but take a look at the bright side. Ryan Dunn is that bright spot. We are Bright Side of the Sun, after all.

Remember when he got some run in the 2025 NBA All-Star Game? He was a Rising Star indeed. Fun times.

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Ryan Dunn

• Position: Forward
• Vitals: 6’8”, 216 pounds, 22 years old
• Experience: Rookie
• Stats: 74 GP, 6.9 PPG (43.0 FG%, 31.1 3PT%, 48.7 FT%), 3.6 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.6 SPG

Contract Details

Dunn is still on his rookie contract, obviously. Here’s the breakdown for those curious. We have a few years before he hits restricted free agency.

Regular Season Recap

Dunn connected on 13 of his first 33 three-point attempts (39.4%) to begin his career in his first 8 games while the Suns went 7-1. Ah, good times.

Ryan Dunn was immediately one of the Suns’ best players during his rookie campaign. It started with a bang. That didn’t stop Mike Budenholzer from refusing to play him for several stretches of the regular season.

Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

For a team lacking perimeter defense, heart, and hustle, it was inexcusable to bench Dunn as much as the Suns did last season. Yes, the offense is a work in progress. That’s why reps are important!

Dunn played 0-9 minutes 12 times last season, and between 10-19 minutes 23 times. That’s a combined 35 games (nearly half of his 74 GP) of 19 minutes or less. How can you expect a rookie to gain confidence or any sort of rhythm with that inconsistency?

He averaged 19.1 minutes per game, appearing in 74 games. He started in 44 of those 74 and had some encouraging stretches.

He had the NBA’s 8th-ranked dunk of the entire regular season when he threw it down on Giannis. It was a dunk we (and he) will not forget.

Weird random stat: Ryan Dunn did not foul out once during his rookie season.

Biggest Strength

The defense. On a team that lacked defensive effort and skill, Dunn brought both to the table. It’s one thing to try on defense, as some have physical limitations on that end and are capped out. Dunn does not fall into that category.

He not only tries, but he has the instincts, size, and strength to compete on that end.

Hustle is one constant that Dunn brought to the table from day one. Check out this play below. Now imagine if the entire team played with that type of effort.

The second effort and not giving up on plays was something evident in his game, regardless of the time or score.

His ability to get to the rim with ferocity and finish through contact is a part of his offensive game that excites me.

An improved handle should be a priority for him because he can do some damage in the open court or with a head of steam. He’s got the tools to become a decent half-court offensive weapon even with the shooting concerns.

Dunn’s career-high of 26 points came in game 81 of the season against the Spurs on 10-21 shooting, including 4 threes and 11 rebounds.

Biggest Weakness

The shooting is the obvious glaring hole in his game. He shot just 31.1% from three and 48.7% from the charity stripe.

As we mentioned above, Dunn got off to a hot start, connecting on 13 of his first 33 three-point attempts (39.4%) to begin his career. He followed that up with just 29.9% shooting from deep for the rest of the season.

The sub-50 percent free-throw shooting clip is concerning for a wing. That is “Hack-A-Shaq” level bad and must improve, no questions asked. In the playoffs or high-leverage situations, you can’t have someone on the floor whose shooting is that much of a liability.

Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

He needs to watch some Jaden McDaniels film and look for ways to impact the game offensively despite not being a known shooter. If not, he will be played off the court in big games.

I believe as his frame continues to fill out and he adjusts to the NBA game, he’ll find more comfort in slashing and finishing through contact. If the shot starts falling more efficiently, that’s icing on the cake.

There’s a good chance he will be starting or at least playing 24+ minutes per game next season, so he’ll get the reps to showcase what he works on this summer. I’m looking forward to tracking he and Oso’s growth.

Likelihood of Return: 9.5

I’m going to put this at 9.5. It should be a 10, but getting off a certain someone’s contract is the only potential holdup.

The only scenario in which Dunn gets moved would be if they had to attach him to get off of Bradley Beal’s deal. I don’t view that as a likely scenario.

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Overall Grade: B+

Overall, it was a strong rookie season for Dunn. He did everything we expected and more. There is room for growth, and along with that, room for optimism that he can become a high-impact wing and an All-Defensive talent.

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