Pacers Once Again Connected to Potential Ayo Dosunmu Pursuit

Ahead of the NBA trade deadline last season, there were rumors connecting the Indiana Pacers to having interest in a trade with the Chicago Bulls for Ayo Dosunmu.

Those rumors didn't come to fruition. Dosunmu was traded, but he was dealt to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Heading into the 2026 NBA offseason, is there a chance that the Pacers could show interest in Dosunmu once again? He is scheduled to be a free agent, although there are many who believe that he will be too expensive for Indiana to target.

NBA insider Sam Amico of HoopsWire has suggested Dosunmu as a target for the Pacers this offseason. He named the talented guard as a potential option, along with a few other names to watch.

"Should the Pacers choose to use their non-taxpayer mid-level exception, players such as Quentin Grimes, Kelly Oubre Jr., Ayo Dosunmu, Kevin Huerter and Anfernee Simons could draw consideration," Amico wrote.

Dosunmu would be an excellent addition for Indiana. He is capable of scoring the basketball, but he is also a hard-nosed defender. Those are the kinds of players the Pacers have tended to target in recent history.

Last season split between the Bulls and Timberwolves, the 26-year-old wing played in 69 games and made 19 starts. He averaged 14.8 points, 3.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 0.8 steals per game, while shooting 51.7 percent from the floor and 43.9 percent from three-point range.

In the playoffs with Minnesota, Dosunmu took his game to another level. He averaged 15.6 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game, shooting 50 percent from the floor and 42.5 percent from distance.

His headline performance came in Game 4 against the Denver Nuggets. During that game, he scored 43 points on 13-for-17 shooting.

More than likely, Dosunmu will end up being too expensive for the Pacers. However, he's well worth taking a look at.

Indiana can offer a decent chunk of change and an opportunity to compete for an NBA championship. That could be enough to lure Dosunmu to the Pacers.

If he's not interested in what Indiana can offer, Kevin Pritchard and the front office will have to get creative elsewhere to improve the roster.