When the Timberwolves first made the trade for Ayo Dosunmu, many people thought that it was a move that was geared towards stabilizing the rocky bench production. However, after this recent cluster of games, it's looking like the Wolves found a lot more than that in Ayo.
There's been a lot of talk about the Wolves needing to find a true running mate at point guard to pair with Anthony Edwards long-term. While Ayo Dosunmu may not be a name that you think of when "franchise point guard" comes up, he could have a real shot at it. The numbers back it up as well, so the question is, why not?
It's not far-fetched to say that finding a high-level point guard like Ayo could change the course of the Wolves' franchise, and adding him makes building around Anthony Edwards a lot easier. Getting Dosunmu for Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, and four second-round picks looks like highway robbery.
Ayo is one of the most underrated players in the sport -- and he's starting to show his value
This season, he's been one of the most efficient not just among point guards, but among players across the entire league at all three levels. In total, this year, he's shooting 51.8 percent from the field, 44.2 percent from 3-point range, and 86.5 percent from the line. Just absurd efficiency considering he's also giving you 14.6 points per game while playing solid defense.
Dosunmu is a player who, simply put, doesn't have a lot of holes in his game. In the last eight games, all of which Ayo has logged 30 or more minutes, he's flourished in all areas. He's averaging 17.9 points, 8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in those games. Those are borderline all-star numbers, albeit a small sample size.
I'm very intrigued to see the possibility of him claiming the starting point guard spot when the roster gets healthy. Dosunmu fits well with the stars. He can play with or without the ball, and he injects pace into one of the slower lineups in the league. The Wolves have just found a gem hiding in plain sight.
He fits the Anthony Edwards timeline like a glove
The Timberwolves need to go all-in on the Anthony Edwards timeline sooner rather than later. This could mean letting go of Julius Randle and potentially Rudy Gobert as well, to focus all of their energy on one timeline. As of today, that timeline consists of Anthony Edwards (24), Jaden McDaniels (25), Naz Reid (26), Ayo Dosunmu (26), Joan Beringer (19), and I would even throw Bones Hyland (25) in there.
Donte DiVincenzo is on the bubble at 29. Nevertheless, this is a great core to have around Anthony Edwards for the long haul. I don't think it's finished, but when you have a bona fide superstar with elite complementary pieces, that's the recipe to build a sustainable contender.
This core could get a lot more interesting if Ayo Dosunmu can blossom into a real secondary/tertiary star, which I believe he has all of the tools for.