Minnesota Timberwolves fans are rightfully buzzing about landing Ayo Dosunmu at the trade deadline, and his well-rounded skill set is a perfect aid to the Wolves' weak bench. During pregame media availability shortly before Friday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans, head coach Chris Finch perfectly described how Dosunmu will help the Wolves' offense.
"We need more guys that can break the paint... He's shown incredible offensive growth in his time in the league. With Julius and Ant, he's gonna have to be very comfortable off the ball... Might be a little bit of a dynamic that he's not used to... I told him today, 'do your thing, we'll figure it out -- don't overthink this, don't overcompensate," Finch said.
Dosunmu fits in like a glove with the Timberwolves
Finch is spot on with his assessment -- Dosunmu's ability to attack the rim with an intriguing blend of size, speed, and strength will benefit the Wolves. Notably, he ranks in the 96th percentile for rim shot creation per Basketball Index.
Plus, his spot-up shooting will be vital next to Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle. Impressively, Dosunmu's 45.1 percent 3-point percentage is among the best marks in the league. Finch mentioned that Dosunmu might have to adjust to playing off the ball more, but his shooting should make this transition easier.
Regarding Dosunmu's growth, Finch also mentioned that his comfort level with the ball stands out. This blend of on and off-ball abilities will undoubtedly benefit the Wolves.
While Finch was specifically asked about how Dosunmu will impact the Wolves' offense, I'm also excited about his defensive impact. Opposing players are shooting just 41.7 percent when defended by the 6-foot-4 guard. Simply put, there aren't many ways that Dosunmu can't help the Wolves.
Minnesota is on the brink of contention, and I don't think it's far-fetched to suggest that he might be this team's final piece.
Finch also made it clear that Dosunmu will play significant minutes. Joking that he would be fired if this wasn't the case. Love him or hate him, you have to respect Finch's ability to joke about himself.
Chris Finch on Ayo Dosunmu being in the top 8 of the rotation
— Andrew Dukowitz (@adukeMN) February 6, 2026
“Yeah, I think if I didn’t play him as one of the 8, I’d probably get fired.” pic.twitter.com/KBhkCRXKsv
To me, it seems pretty obvious that Dosunmu will slide into the seventh man role behind Naz Reid. The Wolves' starting lineup posts a plus-8.6 net rating. There's no need to change it. However, on certain nights, Dosunmu might close -- having this option would be a nice wrinkle the Wolves have lacked since losing Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
Dosunmu won't play during Friday's game. However, he (and Julian Phillips) are expected to play during Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Undoubtedly, Wolves fans will be excited to see how immediate his impact is.