The Minnesota Timberwolves trading for Ayo Dosunmu was always considered a great move, especially since they only gave up Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, and four second-round picks. However, the trade keeps getting better for the Wolves, and after Ayo's 43-point performance in Game 4, it's never looked more lopsided.
Ayo shot an absurd 13-for-17 from the field en route to this 43-point outburst. He did a great job of attacking the Denver Nuggets' defense and creating for himself in multiple ways. Ultimately, Dosunmu was the driving force in the Wolves' 112-96 win.Â
Dosunmu's performance was truly heroic, given the devastating injuries that Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards suffered.
If it wasn't clear before, this game proved that Dosunmu is a key part of the Timberwolves, and trading for him at the price they did was highway robbery.
Timberwolves' Ayo Dosunmu trade looks like the best trade of the year
Since arriving in Minnesota, Dosunmu has proven to be an essential part of the Wolves' success. He provides immense value with his rim finishing, spot-up, perimeter defense, and playmaking. At the trade deadline, the Wolves clearly needed more bench production, and they needed a player with a well-rounded skill set like Ayo. His two-way impact has given the Wolves an element they desperately lacked before.
Frankly, looking around the league, no other trade deadline addition has transformed their respective team to the degree that Ayo has. Perhaps James Harden (however, Darius Garland is no slouch either).
On the flip side, you have to wonder why in the world the Chicago Bulls were willing to trade Ayo.
As the Bulls enter a rebuild, keeping a 26-year-old with this impressive all-around skill set would have been highly beneficial. Miller and Dillingham showed solid flashes at the end of the season, but it's unlikely that either player will develop into the player that Ayo is right now.
Regardless, Wolves fans should be thankful for the Bulls' foolishness.
Dosunmu is a vital part of the Timberwolves' success and future
My favorite part about Ayo's game is that he can scale up when called upon or play a pure complementary role when the Wolves' stars are cooking. This is the exact type of player every championship team needs. Given his well-rounded skill set and ability to scale up, Ayo has a lot of similarities to Derrick White and Jrue Holiday.
Of course, Dosunmu's 43-point performance was the best example of him scaling up. Nevertheless, throughout the season, he demonstrated an ability to do just that. Notably, in the seven regular season games he played without Ant, Dosunmu averaged 18.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists.
With Ant now sidelined for multiple weeks and DiVincenzo out for the season, the Wolves will need this high level of production from Ayo to continue. Thankfully, all signs point to Dosunmu being up for the task.
It's always been clear to me that Ayo is a crucial part of the Wolves' future, and his incredible Game 4 performance only cements this.
Getting a key piece of a championship-level team without giving up a first-round pick or any blue-chip talent is truly incredible. Tim Connelly has made some fantastic moves throughout his career, but this will perhaps go down as his most savvy trade of all-time.
Without a doubt, everyone connected with the Wolves should be thankful for this move and for the Bulls being foolish enough to trade Dosunmu.
Add us as a preferred source on Google