2. Kris Dunn
This is a bit of a different concept than the idea of pairing De’Anthony Melton with LaMelo Ball in the Charlotte Hornets’ backcourt, as Kris Dunn would almost certainly come off the bench.
Dunn was the fifth overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, but his initial career in the league faded out. He spent most of his time with the Chicago Bulls.
Throughout the course of his career, Dunn has always been a great perimeter defender. He’s averaged 2.0 steals per game multiple times in the early stages of his time in the NBA.
That said, he’s completely revived his career over the past two seasons with the Utah Jazz, becoming a staple of their rotation. And even though they haven’t been great as a team, Dunn has looked impressive.
The biggest thing that he’s improved on is his three-point shooting, and it’s taken him from an unplayable player to a genuinely impactful guy at the NBA level.
In 66 appearances with the Jazz this past season, Dunn shot 36.9% from behind the three-point line on 1.7 attempts per game.
On the Hornets, Dunn would help them reshape their defense. He could come off the bench and provide them with a spark on that end of the floor, and combined with Grant Williams, the pair could handle most top defensive matchups.