Writing Illini
Fansided

Illinois Basketball: 5 NBA teams who need Ayo Dosunmu the most in 2020

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - DECEMBER 29: The bench erupts in celebration after Illinois Fighting Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) hits a three point shot to tie the game in the final seconds of regulation during the college basketball game between the Florida Atlantic University Owls and the Illinois Fighting Illini on December 29, 2018, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - DECEMBER 29: The bench erupts in celebration after Illinois Fighting Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) hits a three point shot to tie the game in the final seconds of regulation during the college basketball game between the Florida Atlantic University Owls and the Illinois Fighting Illini on December 29, 2018, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next
Illinois basketball
NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 26: Illinois Fighting Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) drives during the second half of the Big Ten Super Saturday College Basketball game between the Maryland Terrapins and the Illinois Fighting Illini on January 26, 2019 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Some might question why the Washington Wizards are on this list, but I believe they need more stability at their No. 1 guard spot.

Obviously, the Wizards have John Wall leading the way at point guard. He is a great player who averaged 20.7 points, 8.7 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game this season. But availability is a big issue with him at no fault of his own. Over the last two seasons, Wall has only played in a total of 73 games. While he is effective in those games, he hasn’t even played a total of one full season over the last two years combined.

If you couple Walls injuries in with the fact he is going to be 29 before the upcoming season starts and he is signed through the 2022-23 campaign, the Wizards are going to need less expensive options that can fill in for Wall when he gets tired or if he continues to get injured. This is where Ayo Dosunmu would come into play.

I am guessing the Wizards are going to ship off some talent this offseason leaving the team to, most likely, miss the playoffs once again. I don’t think they will be a high lottery pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, but they will be a lottery pick. Ayo will probably be in the range where the Wizards are picking.

Ayo could come in from the 2020 NBA Draft and play immediately. The Wizards don’t have anything behind Wall at the No. 1 guard role. Even with that being said, Wall ruptured his Achilles this winter and won’t return until, at least, February 2020. That means he will probably miss an entire season and be a 30-year-old point guard coming off an Achilles injury.

The Wizards are in a tough position. They don’t know if they will have Wall back for a while and even when he comes back, what will they be getting? Ayo could come in and help solve their point guard issues. He would help give them stability at a great rate.

Home/Illinois Basketball