NEWSLETTER
Ever since the Chicago Bulls extended Ayo Dosunmu his qualifying offer at the end of June, things have remained quiet.
The Bulls have the right to match any contract sheet thrown in the direction of the 23-year-old guard. Meanwhile, Dosunmu has the right to accept his $5.2 million QO to return to the Bulls before hitting free agency next summer. The other option, of course, would be to strike a new multi-year deal with the organization. But the fact this much time has passed without an agreement might imply that is the least likely outcome.
Indeed, chances are the Bulls would prefer Dosunmu returns on an average annual salary that checks in less than his qualifying offer. Dosunmu’s camp would surely desire the opposite. This is why they’re likely holding out hope another franchise throws in a last-minute offer sheet to either make the Bulls pay up or let Dosunmu walk. And it turns out the latter might be where this is all headed.
According to Jason and Dan Bernstein on Audacy’s “Organizations Win Championships” podcast, it is now increasingly “unlikely” that Ayo Dosunmu will return to the Bulls next season.
“This is from sources close to him,” Jason said. “I don’t think he believes he will be back either. We were hearing Toronto is interested and is a likely option.”
The idea of Dosunmu wearing another jersey felt ridiculous after his rookie season. He easily performed like one of the biggest steals of the draft, appearing in 77 games and starting 40 in the absence of Lonzo Ball. While his half-court offense struggled, he was a real threat in transition and proved to be a real asset defensively thanks to his length and overall high IQ.
There is no denying, however, that Dosunmu plateaued during his sophomore campaign. We also saw his 3-point percentage dip rather drastically, which only stood out more on a team with so few 3-point threats. Still, I thought re-signing Dosunmu would practically be a given for this team.
Tons of sophomores struggle after opponents get a chance to figure them out. Not to mention, the Bulls have so few young players on their roster to develop for the future. Dosunmu showed almost instantly that he can be at least a rotation player in the NBA, and I still think Chicago would be wise to keep him in the building for at least a little longer.
Now, I totally recognize this roster is extremely guard heavy. Zach LaVine, Alex Caruso, and the recently re-signed Coby White all need substantial playing time. Jevon Carter was also the team’s most notable free-agent acquisition and could be in line for a starting role. Heck, even Dalen Terry could eat minutes in the backcourt, if needed. Identifying Dosunmu’s exact role on this team isn’t particularly easy, and this is likely part of the reason why the Bulls haven’t jumped at the opportunity to re-sign him.
Having said that, letting a 23-year-old go that has flashed the valuable role-player attributes that Dosunmu has shouldn’t be an easy decision. The goal shouldn’t only be to build the most cohesive current roster but to also build for the future. I have to imagine this is a primary reason a team like Toronto – who is in a very similar situation to Chicago – has reportedly expressed interest in Dosunmu. They understand that adding a third-year guard with 157 games under his belt may be a risk worth taking.
I guess all we can do now is continue to play the waiting game. The good news for Bulls fans that want the Chicago native back is that Arturas Karnisovas does hold all the power. If a team does offer him a deal, he can always match it and keep Dosunmu around. Likewise, returning on a $5.2 million prove-it QO might prove to be an even more attractive option for Dosunmu’s camp the longer this goes on.
If Dosunmu ultimately doesn’t return, then I’m at least hoping the organization can make the most of it by either (1) using him in a sign-and-trade or (2) using his open roster spot to sign another intriguing future talent (maybe Javon Freeman-Liberty?).
