During the 2026 trade deadline, the Minnesota Timberwolves struck gold by trading for Ayo Dosunmu. The Wolves sorely needed a guard, and Dosunmu's versatile skill set made him the perfect fit. In part, since he was about to enter free agency, the Wolves traded for him at a reasonable price, giving up Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, and four second-round picks.
Almost from the moment Dosunmu arrived, it was clear that this was a brilliant trade and that he was a perfect fit. His stellar playoffs provided further evidence that this was a masterstroke. And with how Ayo has started the season, the trade looks even better.
Notably, Dosunmu has averaged 16.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists on 51.3/38.2/80 shooting splits this season. Without Edwards, Dosunmu has further scaled up, averaging 19.8 points, which leads the team in the past five games.
Ayo has proven to be incredibly valuable as a complementary player and has shown that he can scale up to handle a featured offensive role. Players like this are incredibly valuable in a winning context, and the Wolves are lucky to have gotten Dosunmu for such a reasonable price.
The Timberwolves' Ayo Dosunmu trade is clearly a masterstroke
Before further exploring Dosunmu's impact, I want to go over what the Wolves gave up. The four second-round picks are pretty much moot. Sure, there's a chance that the Bulls strike gold with one of them, but it's unlikely they'll even find a contributor with these picks.
Dillingham and Miller were two intriguing upside swings. However, the Bulls traded Dillingham for an over-the-hill Buddy Hield. Miller has shown off some rotation viability but hasn't been anything special beyond a solid 15-20 minutes per game guy.
I get it: the Bulls didn't want to pay Ayo, who ultimately signed a five-year, $112 million contract this summer. Regardless, they clearly didn't get good value for him. From the Timberwolves ' perspective, though, getting a high-quality guard for two players who weren't in their rotation and some second-round picks is highway robbery.
It's always been clear that Dosunmu is an awesome complementary guard. He's a dependable spot-up shooter, quality connective playmaker, perimeter defender, and a blur in transition.
However, the more we see of Dosunmu in a scaled-up role, the clearer it becomes that he's much more than a good role player. Primarily, Ayo's downhill speed and scoring allow him to thrive with more offensive responsibilities.
Dosunmu is genuinely one of the league's best rim finishers. He excels at driving to the rack with his straight-line speed, and he has proven he can succeed against elite rim protectors, as evidenced by his 27 points against Victor Wembanyama last week. As a whole, Ayo is averaging 4.8 rim attempts per game, which ranks in the 96th percentile.
Whether it's being one of the team's primary creators, as he is without Edwards, or attacking in transition or in more situational ways, this skill is super valuable.
Frankly, guards like Dosunmu who have well-rounded skill sets and can scale up or down as needed don't grow on trees. Yet, they are super valuable to winning teams. Look at guys like Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, and Cason Wallace; those are a few players who Dosunmu mirrors. The going rate for these guys is typically a lot more than what the Wolves gave up for Dosunmu.
And while the Timberwolves trading for LaMelo Ball ultimately provided a star-level solution to their guard problem, having a versatile complementary guard like Ayo is vital. With each passing game, Dosunmu's value is becoming clearer, and their decision to trade for him keeps paying off.
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