Jonathan Kuminga has given the Minnesota Timberwolves exactly what they were missing, and he’s done it fast.
The 24-year-old forward has slid into the starting lineup and filled a major gap at power forward with the kind of all-around production Minnesota needed. His rebounding, defense, and scoring have helped push the Wolves to an 8-3 start, along with the NBA’s top defense in terms of net rating.
His best night so far came last week against the Houston Rockets, when he finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. He also knocked down a pair of three-pointers and added a tip-in layup that helped swing the game in Minnesota’s favor.
Afterward, Kuminga wasn’t interested in talking up his own scoring line. He was focused on the parts of his game that fit this roster best.
"We have so many people who can put the ball in the hoop. The rest of the jobs-like rebounding, playing hard, defending-it’s right there; why not do it?"
That mindset has made him an ideal fit for a team that needed size and balance in the frontcourt. Minnesota had been thin at power forward, with Trey Lyles as the only true option at the position on the roster. Kuminga’s arrival changed that immediately.
His path to the Wolves was shaped by a rough market. After being traded by the Golden State Warriors to the Atlanta Hawks, who did not offer him a contract to return, Kuminga found his free-agent options drying up. Minnesota stepped in with a two-year, $12.4 million contract that includes a player option in the second season.
For the Wolves, it was a chance to solve a roster problem at a price they could handle. For Kuminga, it was a chance to join a winning team and rebuild his value ahead of another shot at free agency in 2027.
The arrangement has worked on both ends so far. Minnesota has a starting five that finally fits together, and Kuminga has looked like a player who could cash in on a much bigger deal down the road.
At a little over $6 million this season, he has become one of the league’s best bargains. His teammates have noticed, too.
"I’ve been impressed with JK," Jaden McDaniels said of his new teammate. "Before, I didn’t know he could play defense like this.
Not saying he couldn’t, but he was always scoring on us. It’s good to see."
The problem for Minnesota is that the better Kuminga plays, the harder he becomes to keep.
He is expected to decline his player option for next season and enter free agency. Because he has only spent one season with the Wolves, the team will not have his Bird Rights, which makes a long-term return far more complicated.
The most Minnesota could offer would be the mid-level exception, which starts at just over $16 million. But doing that would likely require the Wolves to move on from either Donte DiVincenzo, who would be a free agent, or Rudy Gobert, who has been a pillar of the team’s success this season and beyond.
Even then, there’s no guarantee. Other teams could easily offer Kuminga more than that starting salary, and Minnesota would have to clear multiple sizable contracts if it wanted the flexibility to compete.
So while the Wolves have gotten exactly what they hoped for this season, the long-term outlook is murkier. The reality is that Kuminga is probably headed elsewhere next year. For now, Minnesota can only enjoy what he’s bringing to a team that already looks like one of the best in franchise history.
In Other News...
Timberwolves Defense Just Earned The Kind Of Respect Fans Notice
Before the game, the Timberwolves got a familiar kind of respect from the other sideline: a coach talking up Minnesotas defense before having to deal with it. Dusty May pointed to the Wolves one-on-one guarding and the way Rudy Gobert anchors everything behind it, which is the sort of praise that usually comes only after a team has spent enough time making life miserable for opponents. It also fits the broader reputation Minnesota has built around a defense that can hold up even when the matchups get tough.
Chris Finch, meanwhile, was already focused on the next challenge, discussing how Minnesota would try to contain Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving. That is the balancing act for the Wolves now, because the defense has become a calling card, but it still has to travel from reputation to execution every night. And when an opposing coach is openly acknowledging how hard it is to score against them, it says plenty about how far that side of the floor has come. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Are Already Showing Why This New-Look Group Feels Different
A new-look Timberwolves group wasted little time making a statement at Target Center, rolling past Dallas by 39 points in a game that looked lopsided from the opening stretches. LaMelo Ball gave Minnesota the kind of steady offensive push that can make a reshaped roster feel instantly more coherent, finishing with 22 points, nine assists and two steals while keeping the attack moving and the pressure on.
What stood out just as much was the way Minnesota handled the other end. Jaden McDaniels, Jonathan Kuminga and Rudy Gobert helped set the tone defensively, and the Wolves made life difficult for Cooper Flagg throughout the night, never letting Dallas find much rhythm around its young centerpiece. For a team still defining its identity, this was the sort of performance that suggested the pieces may fit faster than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Cooper Flagg Gave Mavericks Fans One Bright Spot In Minnesota
Cooper Flagg gave Dallas one of the few bright moments in Minnesota, flashing the athleticism that keeps him such a compelling part of the Mavericks future even as the game tilted hard in the Timberwolves favor. The rookies burst stood out in a matchup that quickly got away from Dallas, but Minnesota kept control behind a strong all-around performance and kept rolling in a stretch that has the group playing with real confidence.
LaMelo Ball was at the center of it for the Timberwolves, helping turn the night into another statement win while Dallas was left to sort through the bigger picture. The Mavericks should look different when Kyrie Irving returns, but the schedule does not ease up, with Cleveland and Boston next, and those games will offer a much clearer read on where this team stands once it gets healthier. [Read more 🡒]