Aside from their potential pursuit of Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Boston Celtics’ $15 million mid-level exception has been one of their most intriguing pathways to improvement this summer.
Boston will have money to spend in the free agent market for the first time in what feels like forever. Bringing in the right supporting players could be the difference between another early playoff exit and re-entering the championship conversation.
There’d been some speculatory hope that Minnesota Timberwolves guard Ayo Dosunmu could’ve been one of those pieces for the Cs. Unfortunately for Boston, it sounds like Minny is going to do everything in their power to keep him around.
NBA Insider Jake Fischer reported Monday night that the Timberwolves have already gotten moving on negotiating a new contract with Dosunmu.
“Minnesota's Ayo Dosunmu is yet another [marquee guard] and league sources say that the Timberwolves are already at work to try to hash out a new deal that keeps their influential midseason acquisition in the Twin Cities,” Fischer shared in the recent Steinline newsletter.
Fischer’s reporting is in line with that of ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, who also expects Dosunmu to return to the T-Wolves on a new deal this summer.
“Minnesota simply cannot afford to let Dosunmu walk,” Bontemps wrote last month. ”That's why sources around the league expect he will be back with the Wolves, but for a price slightly above the midlevel exception (roughly $15 million), which is what most rival teams could offer.”
Ayo Dosunmu would've been a great get for the Celtics
Though Boston could technically absorb Dosunmu into their $27 million trade exception, it seems unlikely at this point. If Minnesota is truly enamored with the idea of keeping the Illinois native around, there’s nothing that the Celtics or any other team can really do about it.
It’s too bad. Dosunmu could’ve been a great add for the Cs. He caught the basketball world’s attention this spring when he put together a tremendous series against the Denver Nuggets.
The 26-year-old’s 44 points in Minnesota’s key Game 4 win over Denver really felt like his arrival. The fact that he scored so many points while only making five three-pointers speaks to his ability to penetrate the defense.
Dosunmu does a great job of getting going to the basket when catching passes off of screens. With how much Boston struggled to get rim pressure this past season, his talents would’ve been a welcome addition for sure.
He probably would’ve been out of the Celtics’ price-range anyway, but now it feels like the pipe dream is truly over.
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