Few players on the trade market are as desirable as Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu. That doesn’t mean the Bulls are actively shopping the 26-year-old, but with Dosunmu in the final year of the three-year, $21 million contract he signed in 2023, he’s approaching a payday that naturally invites trade speculation.
Dosunmu has outperformed his annual value in every season of his career, averaging at least 12.2 points and 3.2 assists while shooting north of 49.2 percent from three over the past three years. This season, the 26-year-old is enjoying a career year, posting 14.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game while knocking down 1.9 three-pointers on 51.2 percent shooting from the field and 44.1 percent from deep.
Comparing Chicago’s backcourt trade candidates
Those numbers might not immediately mark Dosunmu as the most desirable trade target, especially with teammate Coby White also drawing attention. White is averaging 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2.6 three-pointers per game while shooting 44.4 percent from the field and 36.1 percent from deep—not too shabby.
Yet with White comes an exorbitant contract extension. The 25-year-old is reportedly seeking at least $30 million per season after turning down a four-year, $87 million maximum offer from the Bulls in the offseason. Dosunmu, meanwhile, has not made any contract demands public, though some speculate the 6-foot-4 guard could command a deal in the non-tax midlevel exception range, roughly $15 million per season.
Considering White’s potential future contract, several teams are unlikely to pursue the combo guard, even if they have a need at the position ahead of the trade deadline. The Minnesota Timberwolves are reportedly one such team, though they likely aren’t the only ones.
Ayo Dosunmu is an intriguing option for Cleveland
As a result, Dosunmu emerges as the more appealing option, particularly for teams seeking a long-term guard at an affordable price or a boost for a postseason push. One Central Division team reportedly pursuing the latter is the Cleveland Cavaliers.
According to Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor, the Cavaliers are active in trade discussions, aiming to both improve their roster and plan for the future. Cleveland got off to a slow start, at one point sitting 17-16, but the team has quickly turned things around. The Cavs are now 29-20 and in fifth place in the East. With a talented and expensive roster, there’s pressure to make upgrades ahead of the trade deadline.
Among the Bulls’ trade candidates, Fedor singled out Dosunmu and Tre Jones as players the Cavaliers would covet to fill the team’s need for a secondary creator. He did not mention White, likely because of his pending contract situation. Even before naming Dosunmu and Jones, Fedor highlighted Cleveland’s trading challenges, explaining how difficult it is for a second-apron team to wheel and deal. That context makes Dosunmu all the more valuable.
Being desirable does not guarantee the 26-year-old will be traded.
Chicago has been said to covet Dosunmu, and rightfully so. He has excelled in a variety of roles for the Bulls over the years, and his versatility extends beyond lineup flexibility. Dosunmu can score both on and off the ball, share the floor with ball-dominant players, and guard three positions defensively. Chicago won’t move him lightly—any trade would have to come with a truly compelling offer.
Cleveland faces hurdles in any trade for Dosunmu
However, a “truly compelling offer” is something the Cavaliers certainly can’t provide. With Cleveland caught between a rock and a hard place, there aren’t many viable paths. The team can’t aggregate players in a trade. Sam Merrill and draft picks might work on paper, but that doesn’t help the Bulls. Swap Merrill for Cleveland’s next highest-paid player, Max Stus, and the deal quickly gets complicated. Ideally, Cleveland would like to move DeAndre Hunter’s $23.3 million salary, but oddly enough, Hunter makes more than every Bull except Giddey. It’s just a mess.
Fedor noted that a third, or even fourth, team would likely need to be involved to make any trade work. Even so, there’s no player on the Cavaliers roster worth acquiring in a deal centered on Dosunmu. Second-year wing Jaylon Tyson would be an ideal addition, but it’s unlikely Cleveland would part with such an ascending, cost-controlled talent.
Perhaps a three-team trade could yield a strong return for Chicago by sending Dosunmu to Cleveland, but at this point, it doesn’t feel plausible. While the Cavaliers could use Dosunmu as a third guard, interest alone doesn’t guarantee a deal—especially since the Bulls appear to have prioritized Dosunmu over White.