Trade season always reveals what teams actually believe—not what they say at press conferences, but what they’re willing to protect when the league starts calling.
And if the recent buzz is true that Chicago prefers Ayo Dosunmu’s fit next to Josh Giddey more than Coby White’s, the Bulls shouldn’t just be “listening to offers.” They should be doing something far more practical: lock Ayo up for the long term before the price rises.
The Bulls already made the Giddey decision—now finish the job. The Bulls didn’t hand Josh Giddey $100 million because they wanted to “try something.” They did it because they’ve chosen a direction.
Giddey is the table-setter. The tempo controller. The guy who makes the game easier for everyone else—if Chicago surrounds him with players who don’t hijack possessions and don’t get cooked defensively.
That’s where Ayo enters (or stays in) the picture.
Ayo fits with Giddey better than Coby White (and it’s not an insult). Coby White is a good player, but he’s also at his best when he’s a primary decision-maker—high usage, rhythm dribbles, shot creation.
Ayo is the opposite kind of valuable. He doesn’t need 15 dribbles to matter. He doesn’t need the ball to defend like his life depends on it. He doesn’t need to score 25 to “justify” minutes.
That’s why media rumours noted that Chicago is more likely to trade White than Dosunmu, explaining that Dosunmu has proven to be a better complementary fit next to Giddey. And yes, even our own PippenAintEasy coverage has leaned into this exact fit logic: Ayo as the safer long-term backcourt partner to Giddey. This isn’t about “Ayo is better than Coby.” It’s about ecosystem basketball.
The contract part matters—a lot.
This is where it becomes a no-brainer. Ayo Dosunmu is currently on an extremely team-friendly deal: three years, $21 million.
That’s rotation-player money for a guy who: Can guard multiple perimeter matchups, plays within himself, can slide between starter/bench seamlessly, and doesn’t ruin spacing by demanding the ball
Those players are winning assets. The league values them. Contenders always need them.
Which brings us to the only real danger here. Deadline rumor cycles already have Ayo’s name floating in the mix with White. And here’s the trap Chicago can’t fall into: They can’t spend years trying to build a modern team identity—pace, ball movement, multi-handler offense—and then trade away the one guard who best supports that structure because he isn’t the flashiest guy. The simplest reason to keep him: Ayo makes the Bulls functional.
Ayo is the connector—the guy who makes lineups work. When Giddey has the ball, Ayo doesn’t stand around demanding his “turn.” He cuts. He defends. He fills gaps. He makes the extra pass. He gives the Bulls something they’ve lacked for years: cohesion. And in a league where most guards play like they’re trying out for a mixtape, having a defensive-minded, low-ego, high-IQ guard next to a jumbo playmaker is an actual advantage—not a luxury.
Conclusion: The Bulls can’t keep building half a plan.
If Chicago truly believes Giddey is the future, then Ayo Dosunmu isn’t optional—he’s one of the clearest supporting pieces on the roster.
So yes, trade calls will come. Some contender will offer “value.” Some fans will say “sell high.”
But the Bulls should recognize what they have here and act before the market decides for them.
Lock Ayo down now—because the best teams don’t let perfect fits walk out the door.