Jonathan Kuminga Has a Lot to Prove with The Minnesota Timberwolves
· Yahoo Sports
Prior to the Minnesota Timberwolves signing him on September 4th, Jonathan Kuminga‘s next team was a hot topic. Several factors, including his salary demands and recent performance, led his former team, the Atlanta Hawks, to decline his player option.
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Jonathan Kuminga Has A Lot To Prove With The Minnesota TimberwolvesAnd while teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers were linked to Kuminga, their earlier big moves meant they couldn’t offer the $20 million-plus annual salary Kuminga was demanding. This eventually led to Kuminga landing with the Timberwolves on a 2-year, $ 12.4 million contract with a player option for the second year, a far cry from the 2-year, $20 million contract he could have had if he had signed with the Lakers.
Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga (0) drives on Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (9) in the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. Photo Credit: Brett Davis, Imagn Images via Reuters ConnectDespite the Lakers’ promising outlook, the Timberwolves have several immediate advantages that may appeal to Kuminga.
For one, the Timberwolves are proven contenders, having reached the Western Conference Finals for two consecutive years, a streak broken in the 2026 postseason. Secondly, Kuminga will have a starting role with the team, allowing him to prove to teams that he is worth more money and a bigger role on a contending franchise. This potentially opens up the possibility of him signing for more by turning down the player option.
So how will Kuminga have to prove himself while playing with the Timberwolves? And what is the outlook for Minnesota in a fierce Western Conference?
“I would love it to be a long-term thing”
In his introductory press conference, Kuminga expressed his wish to stay in Minnesota when asked whether he envisioned himself staying with the team in the long term.
“I would love it to be a long-term thing, Kuminga said. “I’m not going to predict what it’s going to be. I think God has a plan for all of us. All I got to do is just come in and do my job every single day, and the rest of the things will handle themselves.”
Kuminga also emphasized the “winning culture” the Timberwolves had, and saw the team as the “best possible option” among the teams they could have gone to, making his decision all the easier.
New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) shoots past Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga (0) in the second quarter during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena. Photo Credit: Brett Davis, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect“Just speaking with my family, praying to God to guide me to the best possible opportunity, and I think this was the best option out of all the ones that we had. I also wanted to join a winning culture, and I think this was the best option among the options I had,” Kuminga added. “I spoke to so many people from this franchise- front office, players, coaches- and all those conversations made my decision even easier.”
Jonathan Kuminga: “Just looking back, I think I would say it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made, just looking at the roster, looking at the young group of guys they have and just seeing what they’ve done in the past.”
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) September 10, 2026
Kuminga’s biggest strengths are his athleticism and ability to guard multiple positions. Moreover, he is also a good finisher and gets most of his points at the rim. However, it is noted that Kuminga needs to be engaged and focused on his assignment for the night, as a scout reports, “that’s not always the case.”
The scout also went on to mention that the 23-year-old “thrives” off easy baskets and likes to cut and get out in transition. LaMelo Ball, who was Minnesota’s biggest move this summer and is one of the best young point guards in the NBA, could help Kuminga with this, as he is well known for his electric playstyle and unconventional passing.
Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves’ young star, has averaged 4.1 assists per game in his career, even averaging 5.1 assists in the 2023-24 season in 79 total games. Ball, on the other hand, has comfortably averaged more than six assists per game for his entire career, averaging 7.1 assists per game last season. Their combined gravity, given the duo’s individual playstyles, could stretch defenses thin, creating more opportunities for others on the team to shine. However, as none of the three have ever played together, this raises doubts about how well they can mesh and coexist in the same offense.
Kuminga has also acknowledged how Ball’s presence changes the game for him.
“I think his ability to pass the ball. I was watching him work out yesterday. I was watching him doing certain things, and just the way he passed the ball, it’s incredible. I mean, I play with so many point guards in my career, but I never played with somebody that could pass as good as LaMelo. So, I think I’m looking forward to it, and I’m excited.”
Taking The Next Step
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) warms up before game five of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. Photo Credit: Scott Wachter, Imagn Images via Reuters ConnectThe Timberwolves have made some serious moves this year, likely to show Edwards the team is serious about contending with him. Trading for Ball forced the team to part with Naz Reid, an integral part of the team’s identity for many years.
Another notable move by Minnesota was trading away Julius Randle. After his disappointing postseason performance, where he averaged just 5.6 made field goals per game on poor efficiency as a second option to Edwards, Randle was traded to the Brooklyn Nets. This trade was important for Minnesota this offseason, as it cleared Randle’s massive $33.3 million salary and allowed the team to re-sign Ayo Dosunmu.
Right now, the Timberwolves face several issues, and Kuminga can help address some of them. Firstly, there is Minnesota’s rotation and injuries. Minnesota is not particularly deep, with Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch typically running a somewhat tight rotation. This means that the Timberwolves will rely on a core group of players all season long.
However, injuries, along with general fatigue and the need for players to get enough rest, will force the Timberwolves to rely on younger players on their roster, such as Cody Williams, Terrence Shannon Jr., and Joan Berringer.
The Timberwolves were hit hard by injuries throughout the past postseason, with Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo going down in the same game. DiVincenzo ruptured his right Achilles tendon and will be out for the next season, potentially making a late comeback this upcoming season. Ball, on the other hand, has played just 303 out of a possible 492 games in his six-year career. Kuminga is not without injury concerns of his own, as he was hobbled by knee injuries last season, which limited him to just 36 games.
Kuminga’s role with the Timberwolves will primarily revolve around providing defense and getting easy buckets that can change a game. Kuminga will not be a primary scorer, with others such as Dosunmu, Ball, and Edwards taking the lead on offense. Kuminga’s defensive versatility will be vital, as he can complement the defensive anchor Rudy Gobert. On the offensive end, however, Kuminga will score through fast-break points and cuts, which complements the playstyles of Minnesota’s other main scoring options.
The Last Word
The Western Conference is no joke for a team like the Timberwolves, who are not in the highest tier of contenders. The teams that appear to be clearly head and shoulders above the rest are the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder. And to get to their level, Minnesota will have to go through the likes of the Lakers and Denver Nuggets, who are formidable teams in their own right.
Minnesota has an experienced, playoff-hardened roster, with players such as Edwards, Gobert, and Jaden McDaniels who have played together for a long time. However, it is yet to be seen how the addition of the likes of Ball, who has never made it to the playoffs, and Kuminga, who is looking to carve out a role for himself as a valuable piece on a contending team, will mesh together over the course of a full NBA season. The kind of impact they will have on the team come playoff time.
Photo Credit: Brett Davis, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect