When Anthony Edwards went down with arthroscopic knee surgery and a possible two-month absence, the Timberwolves had to absorb a hit that could have rattled the whole season. Edwards had been electric out of the gate, averaging 33.3 points over the first four games, and Minnesota’s early momentum suddenly came with a giant asterisk.
Ayo Dosunmu has been the steady hand that kept things from wobbling.
The 26-year-old had already put himself in the early Sixth Man of the Year conversation, and now he’s slid into the starting five without missing a beat. Minnesota is 5-2 since Edwards was forced out, and Dosunmu has been a huge reason the Wolves have kept rolling.
That was on display in Sunday’s 115-100 win over the Utah Jazz. It wasn’t one of those clean, do-everything nights - he finished with just one assist and five turnovers - but Dosunmu still led the team with 27 points.
He went 7-for-13 from the floor, 4-for-5 from deep and a perfect 8-for-8 at the line. Twelve of those points came in the fourth quarter, and that late burst helped keep Utah from getting any closer than 10 points over the final 12 minutes.
Since moving into the starting lineup, Dosunmu has been putting up 21.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.7 steals over seven games, while shooting .533/.472/.957. That kind of production is one thing. The bigger story is how steady he’s been from night to night.
Through 11 games this season, including his four outings off the bench, Dosunmu hasn’t really had a dud. In eight of those 11 games, he’s shot at least 50 percent from the field, and he hasn’t dipped below 40 percent in any of them. That kind of reliability matters even more when a team loses its star and needs somebody to keep the floor from dropping out.
The numbers have gotten loud enough that All-Star talk isn’t absurd anymore, even if it would still be a surprise to see Dosunmu make the team. Edwards is expected back before the All-Stars are announced, which would likely send Dosunmu back to a reserve role if Minnesota is fully healthy.
Still, the fact that his name can even come up in that conversation says plenty about how well he’s played. He’s knocking down nearly half of his 3s, bringing pressure with his speed, and helping fuel a defense that sits near the top in most major categories.
For Minnesota, that kind of consistency is more than a nice bonus. It’s what has kept the team afloat while Edwards is out, and it may also give the Wolves a little more breathing room when it comes to bringing him back from knee trouble.
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With Anthony Edwards sidelined for surgery, the Timberwolves have had to adjust on the fly, and Chris Finch made it clear the message to LaMelo Ball was simple: be more aggressive for himself. Minnesota did not just need Ball to fill space in the offense, it needed him to help steady the group while Edwards was out, and the early returns have given the team something to work with.
Ball has responded with a more assertive stretch since the injury, and the Timberwolves have managed a 4-2 record in Edwards' absence as they head into an eight-game homestand. The bigger question now is whether that expanded role becomes a temporary fix or something Minnesota can keep leaning on once the schedule settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Quiet Signing Is Becoming Hard To Ignore
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Even with modest counting numbers, Lyles has stood out for the things that tend to matter over the long haul: rebounding, smart spacing and a willingness to play within the flow of the offense. His versatility has given Minnesota more lineup flexibility, and his presence has quietly become part of why the Wolves have been so effective on the glass. [Read more 🡒]
Former Wolves Pick Rob Dillingham Has Become A Tough NBA Reality
Rob Dillinghams path since Minnesota took him with the No. 8 pick in the 2024 draft has turned into a stark reminder of how quickly the NBA can move on from a young guard. After being traded to the Bulls in his second season, he was sent to Charlotte and then waived, leaving the former Timberwolves lottery pick searching for a new landing spot as questions about his physical limitations and uneven play have followed him from stop to stop.
For Minnesota, it is a familiar kind of what-if attached to a player the franchise once believed could be part of its future. Instead, Dillingham has been stuck in limbo without another NBA contract, a status that says as much about the leagues demand for immediate reliability as it does about the thin margin for error facing small guards trying to stick. [Read more 🡒]