Ayo Dosunmu hasn’t been with the Minnesota Timberwolves for very long. Acquired at the trade deadline in early February, he has called Minnesota home for about eight months, including barely more than three months of game action.
Soon into the offseason, Dosunmu re-signed with the Wolves on a five-year deal worth $112 million. Perhaps that contract has helped him feel even more comfortable with his new club—so much so that he’s talking friendly trash with the team’s superstar.
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweeted a quote from Anthony Edwards regarding Dosunmu.
"It's fun, man," Edwards said. "Not many guys talk trash back to me, so having somebody like him on my team, not against me, is super great."
It’s yet another example of Minnesota's feel-good offseason. It's also another example of how players who haven't been on the team long have grown comfortable in a short amount of time.
Moodiness of last season is seemingly gone
Bouts of moodiness from last season? Forget them. The team seems about as happy-go-lucky as it can be this offseason.
It has helped newcomers to feel a part of the team without taking much time. That was evident during the team-bonding event in France while visiting Rudy Gobert. Adding LaMelo Ball—who Tim Connelly described as someone with an “infectious quality”—has helped as well.
Trash talk among teammates is perfectly fine when it’s friendly. Dosunmu’s willingness to trash-talk the team’s best player further shows the camaraderie the Timberwolves are building. Clearly, it’s not done in jest, or Edwards wouldn’t describe it as fun.
Edwards—who came into the league at 19—is now 25. Ant-Man has helped change the team’s demeanor. He’s taken on more of a leadership role. He helped make LaMelo Ball feel at home right from the start and was involved in recruiting Jonathan Kuminga, a player the team eventually added.
Kuminga accepted a free-agent contract from the Timberwolves despite being offered more by other teams. He said he felt wanted and chose Minnesota because of its winning culture. The Wolves provide an organization that makes it easy to fit in.
Now, does this overall mood change within the team guarantee more overall success? Of course not. It certainly won’t hurt their chances of achieving it, though. The NBA just saw the power of friendship when the New York Knicks took home their first title in 53 years.
No, Minnesota doesn’t have a team full of college teammates as New York does, but they look to be getting along quite well. Timberwolves social media has presented countless photos of players smiling and enjoying being on the court. That sure beats the angry looks and times when the team didn’t always seem to enjoy playing together.
It’s always a good sign when newcomers feel involved with the team from the start, as Dosunmu and Ball seem to. Let’s hope the feel-good offseason transitions into a feel-good regular season and then a feel-good postseason.
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