Ayo Dosunmu is Already Rubbing Dirt in the Chicago Bulls' Wound

A little over two months after the Chicago Bulls moved Ayo Dosunmu, the guard is now helping lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a playoff win.

Mar 30, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ayo Dosunmu (13) looks on during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Returning to the Target Center for their first home playoff game of 2026, the Minnesota Timberwolves walked off the court with a convincing 113-96 victory.

The Denver Nuggets looked out of their element without key role player Aaron Gordon in the lineup. Even Nikola Jokic couldn't find his typical rhythm, shooting a stunningly bad 7-26 from the field for 27 points and 3 assists. It was an extremely impressive win for the No. 6-seeded Timberwolves, yet it somehow wasn't led by their superstar guard or even their All-NBA frontcourt.

Instead, the Timberwolves blew out one of the Western Conference favorites thanks to a career night for Ayo Dosunmu. The guard set a new postseason high with 25 points on 10-15 shooting from the field. He also led the Timberwolves with 9 assists – the majority of which came in the fourth quarter.

To put it differently, Ayo Dosunmu has now put the Timberwolves ahead in a playoff series. And he's done it roughly two months after the Chicago Bulls chose to move off him for a package that failed to include a first-round pick.

Another bad look for the franchise? Absolutely. But Dosunmu sure sounds happy about it!

"It’s a blessing. Each and every day I thank god for giving me the opportunity to be here. Being on a winning team in a winning culture," Dosumu said after the game. "Having the opportunity to be in the playoffs, that’s something that each and every competitor, each and every kid dreams of. And I was spoiled my rookie year – I made it to the playoffs. I’m in my fifth year now, so I went four seasons without being back in the playoffs. So this is something I can’t and won’t take for granted.”

Did the Bulls Make A Mistake With Ayo Dosunmu?

Apr 23, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) talks with guard Ayo Dosunmu (13) during a free throw by the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

On the one hand, most could understand all the trade rumors. The Chicago Bulls were stuck in mediocrity and headed toward a summer with seven players hitting free agency. Keeping the status quo was no longer an option. The smartest move was to test the open market and avoid potentially losing assets for nothing.

On the other hand, this never meant the Bulls had to move on from all their expiring contracts. The Ayo Dosunmu and Coby White situation, in particular, was complicated. While it felt like the Bulls would be foolish to re-sign both in free agency, particularly after committing long-term to Josh Giddey, bringing back one didn't seem far-fetched. And Dosunmu was the one many believed could stick around.

Was Dosunmu rumored to be generating more interest around the league? Yes, but the reasons why were the same reasons the Bulls were inclined to keep him. Most assumed they could sign him for less than White in free agency. Likewise, Dosunmu had been putting together easily the best season of his career. The 26-year-old was averaging 15.0 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.0 rebounds on 51.4 percent shooting from the field and an electric 45.1 percent shooting from deep.

Most importantly, though, Dosunmu had long felt like a winning player. He repeatedly forced Billy Donovan to give him extra minutes, demonstrating an increasing ability to impact the game both on and off the ball. He was a transition demon, a reliable defender, a knockdown catch-and-shoot threat, and a top-tier finisher. All Dosunmu did in Chicago was make a case for a bigger role, and now he is getting that in Minnesota.

What did the Bulls get? Four second-round picks and two young flyers. To be sure, Leonard Miller finished the year extremely strong, and there is still a world where Rob Dillingham proves to be a capable rotation player. But the fact of the matter is that Dosunmu has and continues to look like the superior talent. One has to imagine that a new front office would have loved to have the upper hand in re-signing him this offseason.

Speaking of which, could the Bulls still look to pursue Dosunmu in the coming months? Technically, yes. But he sure sounds happy in Minnesota, and he recently told the Chicago Sun-Times they will have first dibs at re-signing him this summer.

Not to mention, regardless of who is at the helm, one has to imagine there is at least a somewhat bad taste in Dosunmu's mouth following the deadline purge. This is especially true after getting a sweet taste of victory in Minnesota. Why even consider re-signing with a rebuilding team if an opportunity with a more proven squad is available?

At the end of the day, Dosunmu is destined to be another casualty of the Chicago Bulls' long-standing incompetence. Losing out on valuable talent is only going to continue to be an issue until the organization brings in the right leadership. This is why the next handful of weeks are as important as any in the franchise's history.

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