Quickly after arriving at the trade deadline, Ayo Dosunmu proved to be an ideal fit with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He filled in numerous gaps, including rim pressure, spot-up shooting, perimeter defense, and connective playmaking.
Now, though, Dosunmu enters free agency this summer. The Wolves feel poised to prioritize him, especially after president of basketball operations, Tim Connelly, said he feels optimistic that a deal will get done. Still, nothing is guaranteed. Dosunmu could very well earn $20 million-plus annually, which could get sticky for the Wolves, who could be forced to dip into the second tax apron.
The elephant in the room is that the Wolves are primed to pursue a star trade, and if they are taking on extra salary in this scenario, it's worth wondering whether they'll be able to retain Dosunmu.
It will undoubtedly be a delicate balance with the second apron looming. Regardless, Dosunmu is a vital piece of the Wolves' core, and re-signing him is a must. If the Wolves land a star, Dosunmu has the perfect complementary skill set to play a supporting role. And if they unfortunately don't land a traditional second option, Ayo will be essential to making up for Minnesota's lack of a co-star.
Even if it's tricky financially, re-signing Ayo is an absolute must for the Wolves.
Ayo Dosunmu fits with any version of the Timberwolves
Dosunmu's ability to scale up or down makes him one of the most valuable archetypes in the league.
If the Wolves land a star point guard like Kyrie Irving, Ayo can perfectly complement him and Anthony Edwards. Landing Giannis Antetokounmpo feels a bit far-fetched if you ask me, but it's a scenario that has to be accounted for, given the Wolves' well-documented interest in Giannis. Without a doubt, if the Timberwolves pull off a move for Giannis, they would desperately need a guard, especially one with Ayo's off-ball abilities.
Wolves fans might not want to hear this, but there's a chance that Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert don't fetch the Wolves a clear-cut second option. In this scenario, the Wolves would lean into their depth and a second-option-by-committee approach.
Jaden McDaniels would likely be the closest player to a second option. Nevertheless, there's no denying that the Wolves would need more shot creation, general scoring, and depth if they can't pull off a star trade, which would further the need to re-sign Ayo.
Sure, Dosunmu might not be a traditional lead guard or high-end feature piece of the offense, but he can scale up. Most famously, he scored 43 points in Game 4 of the first-round this year, and his 14.8 points per game in the regular season offer some optimism that he could be a key scoring option on an elite team. At 26 with a versatile skill set, Ayo is an ideal long-term fit alongside Edwards, regardless of what the rest of the roster looks like.
Without a doubt, Dosunmu becomes even more of a priority if the Wolves strike out on a star, but he's vital to the team in any scenario.
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