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NBA rumors: Raptors interested in talented Bulls point guard

ByMike Luciano|
TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 22: Bobby Webster General Manager of the Toronto Raptors looks on before his team plays the New York Knicks at the Scotiabank Arena on January 22, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 22: Bobby Webster General Manager of the Toronto Raptors looks on before his team plays the New York Knicks at the Scotiabank Arena on January 22, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)

The Toronto Raptors moved quickly to replace Fred VanVleet after the franchise icon departed for the Houston Rockets. Dennis Schroder was brought in on a well-compensated two-year contract, while Jalen McDaniels also came to Toronto. Considering the circumstances, Toronto did OK.

Despite some of their moves, observers inside and outside the fanbase seem to think that Toronto’s guard depth is lacking. One more big name might be enough to complete their roster, and a rival in the Eastern Conference may help them land a player that can help them further that end.

The Chicago Bulls appear to be willing and able to spend money on retaining many of their big names, as the signing of Nikola Vucevic confirmed. Role players might need to be discarded in order to fund those signings, one of which could be an impact player with Toronto.

According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Raptors have some degree of interest in signing restricted free agent Ayo Dosunmu, a Chicago native and Illinois alum that has spent his first two seasons with his hometown team. Signing Schroder and Dosunmu would be one way to make up for the loss of Fred VanVleet.

NBA Rumors: Toronto Raptors interested in Ayo Dosunmu

A 6-5 guard that is active on the defensive end, Dosunmu averaged 8.7 points and 2.9 assists per game while vacillating between the starting lineup and the bench for the Bulls. A solid finisher at the rim, Dosunmu made over 50% of his shots in his first two NBA seasons.

His 3-point shooting is still a mystery, as it remains to be seen which version of Dosunmu would make the trip up north. After making a solid 37.6% of his 3-pointers in his rookie season, he saw his percentage dip to 31.4% despite the same number of attempts per game.

With the Raptors’ MLE used up on Schroder and the BAE helping bring McDaniels to town, it appears as though a trade would need to be made in order to accommodate Dosunmu. Thad Young is still very much a potential trade chip, as is a more expensive, high-end backup forward in Chris Boucher.

Dosunmu is far from a finished product, and he has shown o be a solid scorer and leader at basically every stop he’s been at. That should give the Raptors enough confidence in signing him, even with his uncertain skill level as a 3-point shooter and the fact he will likely seek a multi-year deal.