Ayo Dosunmu loves playing in Chicago but understands 'the business side' as trade deadline nears

Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu is cognizant of the trade deadline, and rightfully so.

The blockbuster trade between the Lakers and the Mavs including superstar Luka Doncic proved that no player was off limits. All-Star guard Trae Young was traded from the Hawks to the Wizards as the Bulls settled into their locker room after Wednesday’s loss.

So, when the topic of the deadline was brought up, Dosunmu said it’s not at the front of his mind, but that it’s lingering around.

“[The] trade deadline is a spot where everybody in the NBA is thinking about [it],” Dosunmu told the Sun-Times. “You always know the date (Feb. 5), but besides that, I don’t think much of it.”

Dosunmu is on an expiring $7.5 million deal that could be enticing to potential contenders.

Dosunmu is averaging a career-high 14.3 points on 50% shooting and 44.1% from three. Dosunmu has long been an efficient offensive player, thanks to his success as a straight-line driver. He doesn’t need the ball to be effective and makes quick decisions on the court. He’s turning 26 on Jan. 17 and still has room for improvement on the defensive end of the floor, according to coach Billy Donovan.

“I think he's got great ability and great potential there,” Donovan said. I think he can get better there. But he's invested a lot, you know, in the offseason to grow. And the one thing I appreciate from him is the experiences and the things that he learns during the season.”

After his season was cut short because of a shoulder injury, Dosunmu wasn’t cleared to shoot until July. Once he had free rein, Dosunmu showed his voracious work ethic and immediately started working out twice a day with his dad and brother. He credited the team’s performance staff for aiding him through the rehab process.

“[Physical therapist] Mike Orr, did a great job,” Dosunmu said. “Once I was done with that, I trusted him and attacked [the workouts].”

The work is paying off. Because of his impressive play for an uneven Bulls team, Dosunmu’s name is likely to be bandied about in trade discussions. He can help a number of teams. His looming free agency also hovers over the situation.

Dosunmu will surely get a raise from his current salary, and the Bulls have the cap space to re-sign Dosunmu. But given the severities of the second apron and the ramifications of the most recent CBA, the Bulls will have to start making some decisions as six players — including center Nikola Vucevic, White and Dosunmu — are on expiring deals.

Will Karnisovas opt for a full-scale rebuild and trade White and Dosunmu? Will he trade one and re-sign the other? Those are the decisions that Karnisovas has to ask himself with the trade deadline approaching.

The Bulls drafted Dosunmu, a Chicago native, in 2021 and immediately saw his game improve year-over-year. He’s turned himself from just a driver into a more well-rounded threat. If Dosunmu keeps producing at a high level, the Bulls will have several decisions to make between now and the trade deadline.

“For sure,” Dosunmu said of wanting to remain in Chicago. “They took a chance on me. I definitely know I love it here. But then you know, free agency’s coming up, and the business side of it, you always understand everything that comes with it. But besides that, these are the guys who helped me become a better player, the staff that helped me become a better player. I take one game at a time. But of course, I love Chicago.”