Every Minnesota Timberwolves fan seemed delighted by the trade deadline addition of Ayo Dosunmu. Regardless, six games into the Ayo era, his impact has left some Wolves fans underwhelmed.
To me, this is a bit silly. I'll admit his counting stats of 11.3 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists on 48.2/34.8/85.7 shooting splits don't jump off the page. And after a 21-point game against the Atlanta Hawks, he is averaging just 9 points on 25 percent shooting from 3-point range. However, he's still been impactful, and Wolves fans who are concerned about his fit with the team need to take a chill pill.Â
In almost every case, when a player is traded to a new team, it takes time for them to get acclimated. This is true even for malleable players like Ayo. Frankly, expecting him to duplicate the production he had with the Chicago Bulls was a bit unrealistic. Minnesota is a more competitive team than Chicago. As such, Dosunmu wasn't going to walk in and average 15 a game.Â
Ayo's on/off numbers have also been dreadful, but it's six games; let's not overreact. Overall, I've been impressed by Ayo's impact and still firmly believe he was the perfect addition to the team.Â
Dosunmu is still an ideal fit with the team
The biggest statistical drop off that has some fans concerned is Ayo's 3-point numbers. In Chicago, he netted 45.1 percent of his triples, and thus far in Minnesota, he has hit 34.8 percent of his 3-pointers.
First off, this is an extremely small sample size, so no, I will not act like the sky is falling after six games and 23 3-point attempts. Additionally, 45.1 percent is an exceptionally high number, and it wasn't fair to expect him to reach this exact level.Â
Nevertheless, with the gravity of Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, there's no doubt in my mind that Ayo will continue to be fed open looks and get back to the 40 percent range.Â
Dosunmu's downhill driving has also unlocked a key element in the Wolves' offense. Notably, his 5.4 drives per game in the past six contests rank fourth on the team. This has given the Wolves a spark both in the halfcourt and in transition. The Wolves should lean into Ayo's driving abilities even more for the rest of the season.
Beyond that, Ayo's playmaking has given the Wolves' backcourt some much-needed extra stability. He has posted a stellar 5.67 assist-to-turnover ratio in his short tenure with the Wolves. I will say that I'd like to see Dosunmu be used more on the ball. Notably, 41.6 percent of his possessions have come with Bones Hyland, which doesn't maximize his skill set.Â
Regardless, Chris Finch and company have time to work things out. As time goes on, I expect Ayo to get more on-ball reps, which would open things up for him and the rest of the team.
Defensively, Ayo has been great, providing the Wolves with another physical point of attack defender. While the Wolves' defense has remained erratic in the past six games, Ayo has been a clear bright spot. For the rest of the year, I look forward to the possibility of Dosunmu taking point of attack duties away from Jaden McDaniels, allowing the 6-foot-9 forward to wreak havoc as a defensive playmaker.
By all accounts, Ayo's well-rounded skill set is exactly what the Wolves need. Does he still require time to acclimate to the team? Absolutely. Likewise, Finch is still trying to find how to best utilize him, and the rest of the team is adjusting to his skill set. Nevertheless, as time passes, things will undoubtedly improve, and he is still impacting the game at a high level.
If you're concerned with Ayo's play, I encourage you to take a step back and give it some time.Â