With the trade deadline just hours away from closing, fans were wondering if the Minnesota Timberwolves would pull off a move if they didn't end up landing Giannis Antetokounmpo. Given their need for guard play and general depth, standing pat would have been less than ideal. Luckily, Tim Connelly swooped in and traded for Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu along with Julian Phillips. The Wolves parted ways with Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, and four second-round picks in this trade.
So here’s the final deal, per sources:
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) February 5, 2026
Wolves get Ayo Dosunmu, Julian Phillips.
Bulls get: Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, four seconds
Leading up to the trade deadline, Dosunmu stood out to me as a clear fit given his 3-point shooting, defense, and connective playmaking. Three skills the Wolves desperately need. Notably, the 26-year-old guard is averaging 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists on 51.4/45.1/85.7 shooting splits.
Ayo Dosunmu is an ideal fit
With Mike Conley aging and Rob Dillingham not being able to crack Chris Finch's rotation, it was clear that the Wolves needed to upgrade their guard play. Not doing so at the deadline would have been a massive disappointment.
Dosunmu is more of a combo guard than a traditional PG. Nonetheless, he is capable of taking on some ball-handling and playmaking duties as need be. The real selling points of his game are his 3-point shooting and perimeter defense.
Dosunmu offers a nice blend of backcourt support and can replicate the well-rounded skill set that Nickeil Alexander-Walker left behind. By all accounts, he is a perfect fit with the team.
Giving up on Dillingham so soon stings, as he was a lottery pick in 2024. However, he wasn't developing in Minnesota, and it's hard to imagine that changing as he has been out of the rotation since December.
As a team with title aspirations, though, this is absolutely a move the Wolves had to make. In my eyes, guard play and depth were the two main limiting factors in the Wolves' title chances, and this trade solves that. Well done, Tim Connelly.
Of course, in the days leading up to the deadline, Giannis emerged as the prized possession for the Wolves. Shortly after the trade went down, though, Brian Windhorst noted that the Wolves have moved on from their pursuit of Giannis. Nevertheless, Wolves fans should be delighted that they found a relatively cheap way to address their biggest flaw.