Bulls announce Dosunmu will have shoulder surgery and is out for the year

The Bulls announced guard Ayo Dosunmu will have surgery on his left shoulder and miss the remainder of the season.

Dosunmu recently missed three games while coach Billy Donovan said the fourth-year pro has suffered shoulder instability for a while and the injury flares up now and then.

Dosunmu returned to action Friday against Toronto and scored 11 points in 23 minutes. He had a key steal and layup during overtime as the Bulls rallied from a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win the game.

The South Side native and former Illini star is averaging career highs with 12.3 points, 4.5 assists and 2.9 rebounds. His contract runs through next season at $7.5 million.

Dosunmu has been a key contributor since being drafted in the second round in 2021. But the Bulls do have an abundance of guards, especially since adding Kevin Huerter and Tre Jones in the Zach LaVine trade. So it's possible management could consider making some moves this summer to rethink the backcourt.

Meanwhile, injuries are starting to pile up for the Bulls. Center Nikola Vucevic will miss his fourth game with a right calf strain on Sunday against Indiana. Forward Patrick Williams has been out since Feb. 12 with a right quad tendon injury.

Donovan has said the plan is for Vucevic to finish the season when healthy. His injury has given newcomer Zach Collins a chance to start. In the past three games, Collins has averaged 18.3 points and 11.7 rebounds.

Sitting 10th in the Eastern Conference standings, the Bulls are still in position to make the play-in tournament for the third straight year. Donovan has said repeatedly the plan is to try to make the play-in, rather than improve draft lottery odds.