Timberwolves acquire Ayo Dosunmu
for scoring depth in trade-deadline deal with Bulls
[February 06, 2026]
By DAVE CAMPBELL
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves acquired guard Ayo
Dosunmu from the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, adding a proven scorer
to bolster their depth for the stretch run in the stacked Western
Conference playoffs race.
The trade was finalized by the NBA and announced about six hours
after the deadline passed on a hectic day around the league. The
Timberwolves sent 2024 first-round draft pick Rob Dillingham, deep
reserve Leonard Miller and four second-round draft picks to the busy
and rebuilding Bulls for Dosunmu and forward Julian Phillips. The
Bulls made seven deals this week.
Dosunmu, who was a second-round pick by his hometown Bulls in the
2021 draft, is making about $7.5 million in the final season of his
current contract. The 26-year-old is averaging a career-high 15
points per game and shooting a career-best 45.1% from 3-point range.
His role with the Bulls has fluctuated over five seasons, with 164
starts in 324 games, but he will fill an obvious need for the
Timberwolves for more offense off the bench.
The Timberwolves, who are 32-20 and entered the day in fifth place
in the West, were considered one of the primary suitors for
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who wound up staying
put. They traded revered veteran Mike Conley to the Bulls in a
three-team deal earlier in the week. Conley was then traded with
guard Coby White to the Charlotte Hornets for a package including
guard Collin Sexton. Conley was waived by the Hornets on Thursday,
thus making him eligible to re-sign with the Timberwolves.
Dillingham was the eighth pick out of Kentucky prior to last season,
but the 21-year-old was slow to develop and had yet to earn the
trust of the coaching staff as a true point guard the team has
needed in light of Conley's declining production. Dillingham is
averaging 3.5 points, 1.7 assists and 9.3 minutes this season,
appearing in 35 games.
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Chicago Bulls' Ayo Dosunmu gets past Milwaukee Bucks' Amir Coffey
during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 3,
2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
The 6-foot-10 Miller, a second-round draft pick in
2023, has appeared in only 49 games for the Timberwolves. The
6-foot-6 Phillips was also taken in the second round of the 2023
draft by the Bulls and played sparingly since.
The Bulls also dealt Nikola Vucevic and Kevin Huerter in earlier
trades this week in an effort to shake up a franchise mired in
mediocrity, signaling a wholesale rebuilding project.
The Timberwolves beat Toronto on Wednesday and overlapped in the
city with the Bulls, who arrived to play there on Thursday,
assumedly making the logistics easier for Dosunmu and Phillips to
join their new team. The Timberwolves host the New Orleans Pelicans
on Friday.
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AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this report
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