Jonathan Kuminga’s arrival has only sharpened the Timberwolves’ dependence on LaMelo Ball.
Minnesota already viewed Ball as a central piece after trading for him, with the expectation that he’d grow into a high-end second option next to Anthony Edwards. That was always a big ask, especially with the team short on draft capital and not exactly sitting on an easy fallback plan if the pairing doesn’t hold.
But the Jonathan Kuminga signing last week changes the equation a bit. It’s still mostly a positive move for the Wolves.
Kuminga fills a major need at power forward, brings real upside, and gives Minnesota another talented body to work with. The catch is that he’s also a ball-dominant player who can drift into bad shots.
That’s where Ball becomes even more important.
Minnesota does not need Kuminga to come in and run the show. With Edwards and Ball already on hand as established creators, the better version of Kuminga is as an athletic finisher: attacking the rim, converting easy chances, and adding defense and rebounding at a high level. Ball is the player who can make that version happen.
We’ve already seen Ball do that kind of work. He helped Miles Bridges get clean looks around the rim in transition and off pick-and-roll action, and that’s the template the Timberwolves should have in mind for Kuminga. If Ball can’t unlock that role for him, Minnesota risks ending up with too many players trying to do too much.
The real problem, though, is the one that has followed Ball throughout his career: health.
He played 72 games this past season, but that was only the second time he has reached 55 or more games in a season. If he goes down, the Wolves’ offense could slide right back into the same mess they dealt with last year - and Kuminga in the mix would only make the picture more complicated.
Minnesota is counting on Ball to steady the offense as a playmaking hub, and there’s a strong case he can do it. He’s one of the league’s best passers and one of its most effective offensive players. Ball led the Charlotte Hornets to the league’s best offense after the turn of the calendar, and he ranked third in the league for offensive estimated plus-minus per Dunks & Threes.
The problem is what comes after him. Minnesota still does not have much playmaking beyond Ball and Edwards.
That showed up last season, especially late in games and during the second-round playoff run. The Wolves finished 29th in clutch turnovers, a number that tells the story pretty clearly.
Even with solid talent around the roster, they still do not have a true second creator next to Edwards who can carry the offense when things get tight.
Chris Finch could take on a more hands-on role if Ball were forced out of the lineup, and that might help around the margins. But without Ball, the structure of the offense would be in real danger.
Kuminga would suddenly be asked to take on a much bigger creation load, whether by design or by necessity. There’s a tempting argument that his ability to scale up is a nice luxury.
The issue is that he’s an inefficient scorer with shaky shot selection. He might have some big scoring nights if Ball misses time, but the overall offensive result would likely be negative.
So while Kuminga raises Minnesota’s talent level, he also makes the team’s hierarchy harder to read, especially if injury enters the picture.
There hasn’t been a chance yet to see Kuminga and Ball together, but the fit on paper is clear: Ball should be able to help Kuminga thrive as a play-finisher. That said, making that pairing work requires a high-level creator, and Ball is the one who has to provide it.
If Ball were to get hurt, the Wolves would be staring at the same kind of isolation-heavy, predictable offense that hurt them last season. Kuminga’s addition gives Ball another major job to handle, and it makes Minnesota even more dependent on him staying on the floor.
In Other News...
Timberwolves Still Have One Frontcourt Question Before Camp Opens
The Timberwolves have spent the summer reshaping the edges of their roster, and one of the quieter developments is the growing belief that second-year big Joan Beringer can handle a real role behind Rudy Gobert. After the moves that brought in LaMelo Ball, Jonathan Kuminga and Cody Williams, Minnesotas frontcourt picture looks a little different, but the backup center spot remains one of the most practical questions left before camp opens.
There is still room for another move, and the Wolves may not be done looking at experienced size to round out the depth chart and the locker room. Veteran bigs such as Kelly Olynyk, Chuma Okeke and Bismack Biyombo have been mentioned as the kind of players who could make sense, which keeps the final decision in that frontcourt mix from feeling settled just yet. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Still Have One Roster Question They Can't Ignore
With training camp still ahead, the Timberwolves are not exactly short on bodies, but they do have one standard roster spot sitting open under the second apron. After trading Josh Green, Minnesotas frontcourt picture is centered around Rudy Gobert, Joan Beringer and Trey Lyles, with Rocco Zikarsky on a two-way deal, which makes the last available slot feel less like a luxury than a practical decision about depth and insurance.
A veteran center on a minimum contract would fit the bill, and there are a few names that would make sense on paper as the Wolves sort through their options. Bismack Biyombo, Mason Plumlee, Drew Eubanks, Tony Bradley and Kelly Olynyk are among the possibilities, while Kevin Love adds a different kind of intrigue as a potential reunion after beginning his NBA career in Minnesota more than 12 years ago. [Read more 🡒]
Kevin Love Could Add One More Twist To Wolves Camp Plans
The Timberwolves head into camp with one roster spot still available, and the conversation around it has drifted toward a familiar name. Kevin Love, who once helped anchor Minnesota and most recently spent time with Utah, is reportedly a candidate for that final opening, giving the Wolves a chance to revisit a relationship that has long carried some built-in history.
What makes the idea linger is that the interest does not appear to be coming from one side alone. Love is said to be open to a return to Minnesota, and the Wolves have him in the mix as they weigh how to finish shaping the roster. No deal is in place yet, but a reunion would add another layer to a camp already set to include plenty of attention on how the team fills out its depth. [Read more 🡒]