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The Chicago Bulls will have a new-look backcourt in 2024-25, adding Josh Giddey to incumbent Coby White. Former starting point guard Lonzo Ball is also on track to make his return to the court after two years of rehabbing a knee injury.
Alex Caruso is gone, though, traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Giddey. That leaves a void for a hard-nosed, versatile defender at the guard spot.
It is a role that fourth-year guard Ayo Dosunmu is equipped to fill for the Bulls in 2024-25.
“If not for Coby White’s bust-out campaign, which resulted in a runner-up finish for Most Improved Player, we’d be talking a lot more about what Ayo Dosunmu did for the Chicago Bulls last season,” Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes wrote on August 10.
“Unless White has yet another leap in him, 2024-25 should see Dosunmu earn a little more appreciation.”
Dosunmu was the No. 38 overall pick by the Bulls in the 2021 draft.
His 233 career appearances are tied for the ninth-most since the 2021-22 season and the most among players in their first three pro seasons in that span, per Stathead. He has the 14th-most starts among that latter group with 128 under his belt.
The starting point guard role proved too big for him as a sophomore in 2022-23. But the step back to a lesser role served him well.
Hughes believes Dosunmu is the Bulls’ “best kept secret.”
Analyst: Bulls’ Ayo Dosunmu Deserved ‘MIP Consideration’ in 2023-24
Dosunmu averaged a career-high 12.2 points with the Bulls in 2023-24. He added 3.2 assists and 2.8 rebounds while falling just shy of 1.0 steals per game.
It was Year 1 of a three-year, $21 million contract signed as a restricted free agent in 2023.
“Increased importance and responsibility agreed with the 6’5″ guard, as Dosunmu posted his highest usage rate, lowest turnover frequency and cracked the vaunted 60.0-percent true shooting threshold for the first time in his career,” Hughes wrote. “Add high-energy defense and an uncommonly high block rate for his position (76th percentile among combo guards) to the mix, and Dosunmu did more than enough to deserve fringe MIP consideration in his own right.”
Dosunmu is not stepping into the significant role that White did entering the 2023-24 season. It was clear White would be the Bulls’ starting point guard after showing progress in 2022-23 that belied his counting stats.
White responded to his increased opportunity with 19.1 points on 57% true shooting, 5.1 assists, and 4.5 boards.
Dosunmu could have to overcome a logjam at his position to see increased opportunity.
Bulls Have Logjam in Guard Rotation
Giddey and White will occupy the two guard spots. Zach LaVine will presumably move to small forward. Patrick Williams and Nikola Vucevic will man their usual power forward and center spots, respectively. That means Dosunmu will again come off the bench in 2024-25.
However, he will have to contend with Ball and Jevon Carter for backup point guard minutes. 2022 first-round pick Dalen Terry should compete for playing time at shooting guard.
Dosunmu offers similar defensive positional versatility as Caruso did for the Bulls.
Trading LaVine would seemingly open up minutes at small forward. But the Bulls have 2023 second-round pick Julian Phillips and rookie No. 11 overall pick Matas Buzelis on hand to soak up those opportunities.
Dosunmu has proven his value to the Bull. But garnering more recognition could prove difficult in the current setup.
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