Jonathan Kuminga’s start in Minnesota has been exactly the kind of spark the Timberwolves were hoping to get.
On Sunday, Minnesota rolled past the Toronto Raptors 117-94 to move to 3-0, and Kuminga was right in the middle of it with 13 points and 4 rebounds. Early on, he’s already giving the Timberwolves a little bit of everything.
Head coach Chris Finch was quick to point to the way Kuminga has fit in, especially the effort stuff that shows up before the box score does.
“He's doing everything we asked him to do, or everything he said he wanted to do when he came here about guarding, defending, hustle plays, all that kind of stuff, rebounding a good clip.”
That’s the lane Kuminga is filling for Minnesota: defense, secondary scoring, and the kind of athletic juice that makes a roster harder to deal with. Through the opening stretch, he’s shooting 48% from the field while averaging 12.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists.
He’s also bringing a lot of experience for someone still only 5 years into his NBA career. Kuminga spent his first four seasons with the Golden State Warriors, and in 2022 he won an NBA championship with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green under Steve Kerr. He also became one of the youngest players in NBA history to win a championship at 19 years old.
For a Timberwolves team that revamped its roster in the offseason, Kuminga is part of what makes the group look like a real force in the Western Conference. Minnesota has the kind of high-end talent that can carry it to a high seed, and if the early returns hold, there’s a path to a deep playoff run.
Next up, the Timberwolves face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday at 6:00 pm CST/7:00 pm EST.
In Other News...
Anthony Edwards Child Support Fight Just Took A More Serious Turn
Anthony Edwards off-court legal situation has been simmering for months, and the latest court action has only sharpened the stakes. The Timberwolves star remains in an ongoing child support dispute with Alexandria Desroches over their son, with the case now carrying the kind of financial and legal obligations that can ripple well beyond the courtroom.
Desroches has denied Edwards claim that support payments might be misused for gambling, even as she has acknowledged limited gambling activity of her own. Edwards, for his part, has raised concerns about how the money could be handled and sought a more controlled arrangement, keeping the matter unresolved while the legal process continues to unfold. [Read more 🡒]
Tim Connelly Just Changed The Anthony Edwards Surgery Debate
Tim Connellys explanation offered a little more clarity around Anthony Edwards knee situation, and it also reshaped the timeline. The Timberwolves president of basketball operations said the arthroscopic procedure could not have happened during the offseason because recent imaging revealed changes that made surgery necessary. In other words, this was not a case of the organization sitting on a decision for months. It became apparent only after Edwards felt discomfort following a game against the Cavaliers.
The details matter because Edwards is dealing with his right knee, the one that had inflammation during the previous regular season, not the left knee that was injured in the playoffs. For a team that leans so heavily on Edwards, any update involving a knee procedure naturally draws attention, especially when it comes with a medical explanation that points to something evolving rather than routine maintenance. Connellys comments did not remove the concern, but they did make clear why the surgery happened when it did. [Read more 🡒]
LaMelo Ball Now Faces The Pressure Minnesota Can't Escape
Anthony Edwards knee injury leaves Minnesota without the engine that usually drives its offense, and the timing makes the adjustment even more delicate. With Edwards sidelined, LaMelo Ball is expected to shoulder the primary scoring and playmaking burden, a role that asks him to do more than simply create highlights or wait for the game to come to him.
Ball has long had the offensive talent to tilt a defense, but Minnesota now needs him to turn that talent into nightly structure. The question is whether he can settle into being the first option with enough force and consistency, or whether the Timberwolves will spend the next stretch asking him to carry a load he has not fully taken on yet. [Read more 🡒]