While the Phoenix Suns have snagged a victory, their injury list might take another one of their players hostage, which already has their star, Bradley Beal. Ryan Dunn has proved to become a valuable addition to the Suns’ rotation, surprising many by hitting 13 of his 33 three-point attempts (39.4 percent) so far—an impressive feat for someone who wasn’t known for his shooting skills in college.

In Wednesday’s tight 115-112 victory over the Miami Heat, Dunn contributed seven points, hitting both his field goal attempts, including two from beyond the arc, and going 1-of-2 from the free-throw line. He added a rebound and an assist over his nine minutes on the court. Unfortunately, a left ankle sprain forced him to exit in the fourth quarter, and he didn’t make a return to the game. After the game Suns’ boss Mike Budenholzer did not have an update, he could provide on the 21YO’s injury. Dunn’s next opportunity to hit the court will be on Friday when the Suns face Dallas.

The 6-foot 8 rookie has emerged as an unexpected standout for the Suns this season. Not only has he carved out a solid role with around 17 minutes per game, but he also stepped into the starting lineup in Beal’s absence due to injury. His performance has impressed to such a degree that some were even suggesting Beal should remain on the bench when he returns. Now with uncertainty over Dunn’s injury, that dream might be short lived. An initial assessment has diagnosed him with a sprained left ankle, and he’s scheduled for further evaluation on Thursday.

An unexpected improvement in Ryan Dunn’s shooting ability

In his two seasons with Virginia, the rookie had only taken 12 three-point shots. Under coach Mike Budenholzer, the rule is simple: players who can’t shoot threes won’t make the roster. However, Dunn started to showed sparks of improvement from the preseason, hitting 45.5% of his threes on 5.5 attempts.

“I see fearlessness. Taking the shots with 100% confidence, playing defense aggressively, not flinching. So that’s huge, especially as a rookie.” said Tyus Jones, a teammate of Dunn. There were questions about his long term shooting consistency. Now we’re 8 games into the season we can clearly say he has cleared all doubts.  The fans were sad to see Eric Gordon leave in the offseason. Despite expectations, Gordon’s 3-point shooting never really took off. He ended up shooting just 37.8 percent from beyond the arc across 68 games, including 24 starts.

The former Virginia athlete has seamlessly filled the gap left by the 35-year-old, quickly becoming a much better fit for the Suns. His energy and enthusiasm for the game have been contagious, offering something the Suns desperately lacked last season—especially from Gordon. While it’s too early to say Dunn is already a better defender, there’s no denying his impressive start to the season.

Dunn has surprised everyone by shooting 39.3 percent from beyond the arc on 4.7 attempts per game. Most people didn’t expect him to find success with his three-point shot this soon, and some even doubted he’d ever be able to. On the other hand, Gordon is currently struggling with his shooting in Philadelphia.

The Suns’ decision to move on from Gordon and hand the reins to a rookie like Dunn is paying off, and it’s starting to look like it could be one of their smartest moves yet. It’s still early, but the potential for a major payoff is already evident.