Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu is progressing better than expected and could return soon. A couple of days after Bulls coach Billy Donovan told K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network that Dosunmu wouldn’t amp up his recovery for another week, he changed his tune before the team’s 129-113 loss to Indiana last night.
This was before last game and it has changed significantly. Dosunmu started running on treadmill and is improving. Donovan said he’s “getting closer and closer to playing.”
Chicago Bulls Guard Progressing Better than Expected, When Could Ayo Dosunmu Return, and What Does it Mean As Trade Deadline Approaches
Dosunmu suffered a strained calf right before Christmas and was given a 10-day re-evaluation period, which expired on Monday. Elias Schuster of Bleacher Nation reported on Monday that Dosunmu had done some light on-court work but had yet to start sprinting, thus leading to Donovan’s previous declaration.
Before the injury, Dosunmu continued his upward trend after posting a career season a year ago. Dosunmu, who turns 25 next week, was his best basketball of the season before going down with the injury and has shown improvement as a scorer and facilitator.
Dosunmu averages 12.6 points, 4.8 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.3 turnovers in 30 games. He drains 1.3 threes a game with shooting splits of 49/32/79.6. He has also produced one double-double and his first career triple-double.
It is unknown exactly when Dosunmu will return, but generally speaking, it is about a week after the announcement of ramping up.
Chicago begins a five-game homestand on Friday against Washington. The Bulls then host Sacramento on Sunday, and New Orleans on Tuesday, and Atlanta on Wednesday. If Dosunmu is not back against the Hawks, he should return before the conclusion of the homestand against Charlotte on January 17.
How Does Dosunmu’s Return Impact The Bulls
Chicago is 10th in the East with a 17-20 record and a -3.6 scoring margin. The Bulls, who are 5-5 in their last 10, are 2.5 games behind sixth-place Indiana.
Chicago is just two games ahead of 11th-place Philadelphia. Granted, the Bulls have played the toughest schedule in the league thus far, with 25 games against teams with a .500 record (10-15).
Chicago’s biggest issue all season has been on the defensive end. Offensive efficiency has also been an issue for the Bulls, the fifth-highest-scoring team in the league. The Bulls are a top-10 shooting team with a 55.7% effective field goal percentage and a 58.5% true shooting percentage.
The Bulls’ strength is in the backcourt due to their depth, particularly on the wings. Coby White, Talen Horton-Tucker, Dalen Terry, Chris Duarte, LaVine, and Dosunmu operate at the 2 and 3 for the Bulls.
When healthy, Josh Giddey and Ball have manned the point. However, White, Jevon Carter, and Duarte have also seen time at the one.
Chicago is 5-5, including 4-3 in the seven games Dosunmu has missed in the last 10. A big reason has been the play of Zach LaVine, who has scored 30 points in five of his last six appearances, and White. LaVine missed one contest during this seven-game stretch.
Chicago remains in contention for a play-in spot, at least until the trade deadline. The Bulls have been looking to unload LaVine and Nikola Vucevic for some time. Lonzo Ball has also been a name tossed around the rumor mill.
Ayo Dosunmu’s Role
In the past seven games without Dosunmu, Donovan started Josh Giddey, White, and LaVine in the backcourt. However, in the contests that Giddey and LaVine missed, Terry and Julian Phillips got the nod in the first unit, though Terry only played nine minutes.
Ball, Carter, and Torrey Craig saw significant increases in playing time off the bench in the three games he appeared in. With Dosunmu sidelined, Donovan will have to make a few decisions when He does return.
LaVine, White, Nikola Vucevic, and Giddey seem entrenched with the first unit. Donovan’s biggest decision will likely be choosing between Dosunmu and Patrick Williams as his fifth starter.
While the Bulls are just 7-10 with Dosunmu in the starting lineup this year, they have split their last 14 games with him in their first unit. The Bulls have been better recently with the 6-5 combo guard in the starting five.
Chicago scored four more points a game during this stretch when Dosunmu was the first unit than when he came off the bench. The Bulls also have been better defensively, allowing two fewer points a contest.
Chicago also shoots two percentage points better and is a passing team with Dosunmu in the starting five. At the same time, the Bulls give up a little 3-point shooting and rebounding. Similarly, in comparison to the last 14 games that Dosunmu has started, the Bulls scored as many points as they did in the seven contests he missed (per game), while they were two points worse on the defensive end in the seven contests he missed.
Moreover, Dosunmu has been much more efficient as a starter. He averages 14.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists with shooting splits of 52.2/35.5/79.4. Meanwhile, he compiled 10.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.1 assists with shooting splits 44/30/80.
What Does Dosunmu Really Bring To The Table?
Dosunmu is known as a two-way player who has improved his range and as a facilitator over his first four NBA seasons. While He has not shot the ball particularly well from the three-point line this year, he is a reliable, albeit average, 3-point shooter.
Dosunmu is at his best off the ball and in transition, with 22% of his points coming on the fast break. While Dosunmu can create for others, he is not a shot-creator per se, though he does have the necessary speed to blow by defenders.
Dosunmu is a lock-down defender. He always gets matched up with the opponent’s top offensive guard or small forward.
Final Word
Dosunmu is a starter in this league, as is Williams. However, Williams is not the quality starter as Dosunmu and is very capable of coming off the bench, i.e., just as efficient. Dosunmu is also part of several of the Bulls’ top lineups.
All signs point to Dosunmu starting over Williams if everyone is healthy. However, depending on the matchup, Donovan may decide to start one over the other.
The problem is that Chicago has to look to the future as well as the present. It is possible that the Bulls will not be able to find a taker for LaVine, Vucevic, or Ball. After this year, LaVine has two years and $95 million left on his deal, though 2026-27 is a player option. Meanwhile, Vucevic is owed $21.4 million next season.
White or Dosunmu Could Also Be Moved
So, while Chicago would rather keep White and Dosunmu, the Bulls may have to trade at least one of them if they can’t deal LaVine and decide to re-sign Giddey, who is slated to be restricted free agent this summer, which Joe Crowley of the Chicago Sun-Times said is a real possibility.
White and Dosunmu have one more year on team-friendly deals.
‘‘You’re never out of the fire,’’ White told Crowley. ‘‘Everybody is tradable. There’s maybe, like, five guys in the league that probably know, ‘Unless I ask to be traded, I’m not going to be traded.’ You’re never out of the fire.’’
‘‘I don’t tend to worry about it because it’s completely out of everyone’s hands besides the front office,’’ White continued. ‘‘Since I’ve been in the league, teams have totally changed. Me and Zach are the only ones still on the team [from my rookie year], so I’ve seen what it’s like to have your whole team shipped out. I’ve seen what it’s like to have a different head coach from when I started, a different front office. So it’s just business, and I had to learn that. And it’s one of those lessons you better learn quickly.’’
