MN Timberwolves Trade for Young Guard… Not Giannis

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Ayo Dosunmu, Giannis: Milwaukee Bucks at Chicago Bulls
Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

No team tried harder to push for a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade this week than the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Unfortunately, the Milwaukee Bucks never showed real interest in any offer made to them for their 2x league MVP (keep reading). So on Thursday morning, the Timberwolves became the latest Giannis suitor to begrudgingly move on.

Minnesota Timberwolves trade for Ayo Dosunmu

Just a couple days after trading Mike Conley to the Bulls allowed Minnesota to duck under the first apron of the luxury tax, Connelly again turned to Chicago once he officially decided to drop out of the Antetokounmpo running.

And this time, they got more in return than just cash. On Tuesday, the Timberwolves traded for Ayo Dosunmu — a borderline starter/bench combo guard that can help Anthony Edwards with ball-handling duties, when necessary.

Dosunmu just turned 26 years old (19 days) and he’s in the midst of a career season, averaging 15 points, 3 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game, through 45 games. Ayo isn’t Giannis, but he immediately fills arguably the biggest need on their current roster.

The best part, especially if you were strongly opposed to the Wolves trading players like Julius Randle, Naz Reid OR Jaden McDaniels — is just how cheap it was to reel in Dosunmu.

All Minnesota had to send East — in exchange for fixing their SERIOUS depth scoring problem — was a couple of non-rotation youngsters. In the deal, Chicago gets 2024 No. 8 overall pick Rob Dillingham and 2023 2nd round pick Leonard Miller + FOUR second round picks.

What are MN Timberwolves getting in Ayo Dosunmu

Ayo is a hard-working two-way player who could technically start or come off the bench. This season, he is shooting an absurd 45% from three-point land — which has pushed his scoring averages to an all-time high.

Dosunmu has been an up-and-down outside shooter throughout the course of his career. As recently as last season, the one-time Illini standout shot just 33% from behind the arc. But he’s obviously figured something out this year. Not only is he shooting a high percentage, but Ayo is shooting a career-high 4.3 three-pointers per game.

As a rookie, Ayo Dosunmu averaged under 9 points per game and shot shot under 38% from deep. Two years later (2023-24), he jumped up to 12.2 points per game. Now, again two years later, he’s seemingly taken another step in his offensive development.

The Minnesota Timberwolves also get 22-year-old former 2nd round pick Julian Phillips, a 6’6″ small forward who averaged just under 10 minutes per game with the Bulls (2.8 ppg, 0.2 apg, 1.3 rbg) in 35 games played this season.

Bucks highly unlikely to trade Giannis

We know the Milwaukee Bucks don’t want to trade Giannis. They want him to give them another chance. Many teams who have been negotiating with them aren’t sure they’ve been serious about moving him at all, approaching the 2026 NBA trade deadline.

Had Wolves PoBO Tim Connelly not tried so desperately to get an Antetokounmpo deal done, I bet talks with other teams never advance as far as they did — and Golden State never offers four first round picks, which Brian Windhorst (ESPN) reports they eventually did.

And when the Bucks showed little interest in the Warriors HAUL of an offer, it signaled loud and clear to the rest of the league that Giannis is probably staying in Milwaukee, though it’s still possible the Heat get something done.

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