The speculation surrounding Ayo Dosunmu’s future with the Chicago Bulls has come to an end, as he officially agreed to a three-year contract worth $21 million, solidifying his stay with the team.
At 23 years old, Dosunmu’s performance in the past season saw him average 8.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. Although his statistics were relatively consistent, they did show a slight decline from his impressive rookie season when he earned All-Rookie Second Team honors. Notably, his three-point shooting percentage dropped from 37.6 percent in 2021-22 to 31.2 percent in the most recent season.
Additionally, his assists per game decreased from 3.3 to 2.6. However, despite these changes, his scoring average only slightly decreased from 8.8 points to 8.6 points, and his rebounding average remained consistent at 2.8 per game for both seasons. It is worth noting that his overall shooting percentage went from 52 percent to 49.3 percent, but he compensated for this by bolstering his defensive skills.
Having grown up in Chicago, Dosunmu started last season as the team’s starting point guard but faced setbacks, losing his spot twice during the year.
Despite rumors linking him to other teams like the Toronto Raptors, who reportedly expressed interest, and the Boston Celtics, who considered a sign-and-trade scenario before dealing Grant Williams to the Dallas Mavericks, Dosunmu’s return to his hometown team was widely expected.
Chicago made moves to solidify their backcourt, re-signing Coby White, another restricted free agent, to a three-year deal of his own. Additionally, they acquired Jevon Carter, a former Milwaukee Bucks guard, in free agency, creating a similar situation as the previous year when Dosunmu lost his starting position.
In the previous season, Dosunmu initially ceded his starting role to Alex Caruso and later to Patrick Beverley, who joined the Philadelphia 76ers in the offseason after the All-Star break.
