Jonathan Kuminga has spent the opening stretch of the season turning one of the biggest questions around his game into a lot less of a concern.
When he arrived in Minnesota late in the offseason, he was viewed as a useful piece with some obvious flaws, and the Timberwolves still went after him because they badly needed a starting power forward and he was the best option on the board. The biggest issue hanging over him was his 3-point shot, a part of his game that had held him back through five NBA seasons. In only one of those years had he managed to shoot above average from deep.
So far, though, the early returns have been loud. Through three games, Kuminga is shooting 63.6 percent from 3-point range, and while that kind of number is obviously not built to last, it has been exactly the kind of start Minnesota needed from him.
He has hit multiple threes in every game this season. On Sunday in the Timberwolves’ 117-94 win over the Toronto Raptors, Kuminga went 3-for-4 from long range, with two of those makes coming in the first quarter. That followed a 2-for-3 night against the Orlando Magic on Friday and a 2-for-4 performance in last Wednesday’s season opener against the Miami Heat.
Altogether, he’s 7-for-11 from deep. That’s a real weapon for a team that wants its starting group to be hard to guard, especially if the shooting holds up.
A few of those makes have come without Ball on the floor. Ball wasn’t out there for either of Kuminga’s first-quarter threes on Sunday after being pulled just 3:15 into the game because of two fouls. Three of Kuminga’s seven made threes this season have come with Ball off the court, though Ball has assisted two of those makes.
Kuminga has also shown a clear comfort zone with where he’s taking these shots. Ten of his 11 attempts have come from the left side, and seven have come from the left corner. He isn’t firing away in volume, but when the ball swings his way and the look is there, he’s letting it fly.
The larger track record says this isn’t his normal level. Kuminga shot 33.2 percent from 3-point range over his first five seasons, with his best mark coming in 2022-23 at 37.0 percent. In the other four years, he never topped 33.6 percent.
Still, even if 63.6 percent is way beyond realistic, Minnesota would gladly take a big jump forward. If Kuminga can stay near 40 percent the rest of the way, the Timberwolves would have four starting 3-point shooters Chris Finch can trust.
And right now, the fit looks clean. Kuminga is making shots, doing what’s asked of him, and blending into the offense without much fuss. If he keeps connecting from deep, Minnesota’s ceiling only climbs.
His next chance to keep it rolling comes Monday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In Other News...
Anthony Edwards Has The Wolves Drawing Real Attention Already
Before the home opener, the Timberwolves were already drawing attention from the other sideline, with Raptors coach Darko Rajakovi making it clear he sees Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball as part of a young backcourt that can grab a leaguewide audience. He also pointed to the overall talent on Minnesotas roster, a sign the Wolves are starting to look like a team opponents are studying closely instead of simply preparing for.
Toronto arrives shorthanded, too, after ruling out Kawhi Leonard because of knee swelling, which only sharpens the backdrop for a game that has a little more weight than a typical early-season matchup. For Minnesota, this is the kind of night that can help confirm the growing buzz around Edwards and the group around him, especially when an opposing coach is already talking about the matchup in flattering terms. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Showed Off A New Strength In A Blowout Win
The Timberwolves first home game of the season came with the kind of cushion teams usually earn only after theyve built a real identity. Minnesota rolled past Toronto by 23 points, making it three straight wins by 20 or more and offering another reminder that this group can now overwhelm opponents in stretches even when the rotation is forced to shift around. With LaMelo Ball limited by foul trouble, the Wolves leaned deeper into the bench, and players like Ayo Dosunmu and Terrence Shannon Jr. helped keep the pressure on.
There was still a flaw tucked inside the blowout, though, and its one Minnesota will want to clean up as the schedule tightens. The offense kept humming, but the defensive rebounding lagged, especially in minutes when Rudy Gobert sat, allowing Toronto extra chances it probably never should have had in a game that lopsided. For a team playing this well, those empty possessions are the kind of detail that can matter a lot more when the margin shrinks. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves 3-0 Start Is Fueling Real Belief In Their Depth
Three games into the season, the Timberwolves have already shown why depth can matter as much as star power in the grind of an NBA schedule. Minnesotas 3-0 start came against playoff-caliber Eastern Conference teams, and the common thread has been a bench that keeps producing instead of just surviving minutes before the stars return. Role players have looked comfortable in real rotation roles, giving the Wolves a more layered feel than a team still trying to find its footing.
Ayo Dosunmu, Terrence Shannon Jr. and Trey Lyles have all given Minnesota useful minutes, the kind that can change the tone of a game when the first unit needs a breather. Jonathan Kuminga has fit that same mold as a complementary starter, giving the Wolves efficient offense without needing the ball to dominate possession, and that kind of balance is exactly what makes this early run feel meaningful. The real question now is how long this level of contribution can hold, because if the supporting cast stays this reliable, Minnesotas early belief might be grounded in something real. [Read more 🡒]