The Minnesota Timberwolves improved their guard depth on Thursday morning, trading for Ayo Dosunmu from the Chicago Bulls for a few younger assets.
The Timberwolves are just one game back of the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference and remain a contender. But they are also a team that could end up in the play-in tournament depending on how the rest of the season plays out, so any move to shake things up and give them an extra leg up is one worth taking at this point.
They were able to get a player who is playing some of the best basketball of his life. But was it enough to win the trade?
Timberwolves and Bulls trade details
Timberwolves receive: Ayo Dosunmu, Julian Phillips
Bulls receive: Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, four second-round picks
Timberwolves trade grades
Minnesota desperately needed another reliable guard with Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo the most trustworthy options on the roster after losing Mike Conley. They got one in Ayo Dosunmu, who is arguably enjoying the best season of his professional career, without sacrificing a first-round pick in the process. Dosunmu is currently averaging a career-high 15.0 points per game and also reliably contributes as a decent rebounder and playmaker. It isn’t the overall solution for Minnesota’s guard play but it’s a savvy move all things considered.
Grade: B+
Bulls trade grades
After the Bulls traded for Anfernee Simons and Jaden Ivey for a roster that already included Josh Giddey and Collin Sexton, they maintained a surplus of guards in their backcourt. There are only so many minutes and touches to go around and Dosunmu became the odd man out. While it’s unclear how much room there is for former No. 8 overall pick Rob Dillingham, who only just turned 21 years old, this feels like a deal designed for draft capital. Chicago has added a total of nine second-round picks in the past week, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, which they could use to take gambles in the back half of the draft or package into something bigger. Either way, Dillingham could benefit from the change of scenery and improve his career on the Bulls.
Grade: B-
