The Minnesota Timberwolves made a bold move at the trade deadline, acquiring Ayo Dosunmu to shore up their backcourt depth. And make no mistake - Dosunmu brings a lot to the table.
He’s a versatile guard with a solid all-around game, capable of contributing on both ends of the floor. His arrival fills a critical need for Minnesota, especially with the team still trying to find its rhythm after a season of inconsistent guard play.
But it’s hard to talk about Dosunmu without revisiting the path that led the Wolves here - specifically, the decision to let Nickeil Alexander-Walker walk last offseason. Alexander-Walker signed a four-year, $62 million deal with the Atlanta Hawks, and since then, he’s taken a major leap.
He’s become a reliable 20-point-per-game scorer, blossoming into the kind of two-way wing every team covets. That kind of production doesn’t just grow on trees, and Minnesota has felt his absence all season.
Now, to be fair, the Timberwolves were in a tough spot financially. With Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and Alexander-Walker all hitting free agency at the same time, something had to give.
The front office bet on internal development, hoping that young guards like Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaylen Clark, and Rob Dillingham could step up and fill the void. That didn’t pan out.
The young core wasn’t ready for prime time, and the Wolves found themselves scrambling for answers as the season wore on.
That’s what made the Dosunmu trade necessary. In exchange for the 24-year-old guard, Minnesota sent out Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller, and four second-round picks - a sizable haul, especially considering Dosunmu is now eligible for a new deal this summer. He can re-sign for up to three years and $52 million, which, interestingly enough, is right in the ballpark of what it would’ve cost to keep Alexander-Walker in the first place.
It’s a tough pill to swallow. With the benefit of hindsight, it’s clear that keeping Alexander-Walker would’ve been the more efficient route.
His familiarity with the system, his defensive versatility, and his scoring punch would’ve been invaluable this season. And while the Wolves couldn’t keep all three of Randle, Reid, and Alexander-Walker, there were paths - tough ones, but still viable - to open up the necessary cap space.
Moving off Mike Conley and Dillingham, for example, might’ve created enough financial flexibility to make it work.
Of course, that would’ve come with risk. Conley brings leadership and steady point guard play, and Dillingham was a promising young piece.
But the price of holding onto Reid - five years, $125 million - is steep, and in retrospect, it’s fair to wonder if that money might’ve been better spent maintaining depth and continuity in the backcourt. Reid is beloved in Minnesota for good reason - he’s a high-energy big who can stretch the floor and impact the game in spurts - but the opportunity cost of keeping him was real.
Still, there’s no use dwelling too long on what might’ve been. Dosunmu is here now, and he’s no consolation prize.
He brings a different flavor to the Timberwolves’ backcourt - a bit more playmaking, a bit less defense, but plenty of upside. He’s a strong fit for this roster, and if he continues to grow into his role, he could be a long-term solution.
So yes, Alexander-Walker’s breakout in Atlanta stings. But with Dosunmu in the fold, Minnesota has a chance to turn the page and retool for the stretch run. It’s not the path they originally envisioned, but it’s one that still holds plenty of promise.