Jonathan Kuminga’s arrival changes the picture for the Minnesota Timberwolves, and it may create the kind of bench role Ayo Dosunmu can turn into an award push.
With Kuminga set to start, per Shams Charania, the speculation about Dosunmu opening at the three and Jaden McDaniels sliding to the four can be shelved. The Wolves’ summer-long power forward void has been filled, and that should clarify the rotation in a way that helps both players.
For Kuminga, the starting job gives him a chance to shape his game around a defined role. For Dosunmu, it opens the door to something he should thrive in: running the second unit and setting the tone for the reserves.
That’s where the Sixth Man of the Year conversation starts to heat up. Dosunmu has the profile of a high-end bench weapon, and with Kuminga now in the mix, he could be positioned for a season that puts him squarely in that race.
Following Naz Reid’s win in 2024, Dosunmu has a path to becoming the Wolves’ second player to take home the award. He’s talented enough to start for plenty of teams, but on this roster he sits just behind a loaded backcourt, much like Reid did in his own award season.
And Dosunmu has already shown what he can do when the lights are brightest. You don’t put up 43 points in a playoff game by accident. He’s the kind of player who can step into a starting spot if one of the guards, or even the forwards, misses time.
Last season, split between the Chicago Bulls and the Wolves, he posted a career-best 14.8 points per game while shooting 51.7/43.9/87.6. That kind of efficiency jumps off the page. If you narrow it to his time with the Wolves, he was part of the notorious 50/40/90 club.
His scoring might dip a bit now that he’s behind Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, and Kuminga, but the bigger question is whether he can keep the same outrageous efficiency. If he does that on a team expected to have more regular-season success, he belongs in the 6MOY mix.
The Wolves’ bench is also still a work in progress, with a lot of players needing to handle larger roles than they’re used to. That only increases the value of having Dosunmu as both a scoring option and a steadying force.
He’ll have competition from names like Collin Gillespie, Dylan Harper, and Collin Sexton, but if Minnesota wins more games during the regular season, Dosunmu’s case only gets stronger. It wouldn’t be a shock at all to see him sitting near the top of that list.
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