Jonathan Kuminga’s free-agency choice was supposed to settle one of the bigger questions of the offseason. Instead, it left behind a little extra noise for the Lakers.
After a long stretch of rumors, Kuminga opted for the Minnesota Timberwolves over Los Angeles, even though the Lakers had been widely viewed as the favorite to land the 23-year-old forward. The process dragged on, got messier, and even required the Lakers to complete a sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks to bring in the athletic wing.
Kuminga ultimately landed in Minnesota alongside Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, but his first comments as a Timberwolves player raised eyebrows. At his introductory press conference, he was asked why he chose Minnesota over the other options in free agency - in other words, why he passed on the Lakers.
His answer centered on the “winning culture” in Minnesota, a line that stands out given that the Timberwolves have never won a title, while the Lakers own 17 championships, second-most in NBA history. Five of those titles, of course, came in Minneapolis, with George Mikan leading the way.
From a basketball fit standpoint, Kuminga would have made sense in Los Angeles. He would have stepped right into the starting lineup next to Luka Doncic and filled an obvious need. But the comments he made in Minnesota suggest there may be more to this move than simple fit.
There’s also the question of what Kuminga’s path says about him as a player. The Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks both moved on from him long-term, and while a fresh start can change the way someone is viewed, two teams backing away from a 23-year-old is at least worth noticing.
For the Lakers, the bigger immediate issue is sorting out the starting lineup before training camp opens. Three starters from last season are no longer on the roster, and there are still a few spots that need to be nailed down.
Walker Kessler is locked in at center, and Quentin Grimes has a strong chance to start as well. The real uncertainty sits at power forward.
My read is that Sandro Mamukelashvili should get the nod at the four to start the season. He looks ready for the job, and he’s flashed real potential this summer while representing Georgia in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers.
That said, the Lakers do have other options if they want to lean more defensive, including Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams. Even so, Mamukelashvili feels like the cleanest choice right now.
JJ Redick still has time to sort it out, but there’s no question the preseason will be worth watching closely for this reshaped Lakers group.
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The Timberwolves have the kind of starting group that can make a roster look solid on paper, but the margins behind it remain worth watching. Frontcourt depth is the main concern, especially with only Joan Beringer and Trey Lyles available as backup bigs on standard contracts, which leaves the team a little thin if injuries or foul trouble start to pile up.
Minnesota does have an open roster spot, and that gives the front office some flexibility as it weighs veteran options such as Drew Eubanks or Kelly Olynyk, along with the possibility of a trade deadline move. The team could also patch things together with two-way or 10-day contracts, but the question is whether that is enough for a group with bigger ambitions once the season starts to get tested. [Read more 🡒]
Timberwolves Already Face One Big Offensive Question With LaMelo and Ant
The Timberwolves new backcourt pairing brings plenty of juice, but it also comes with an early roster-building question: how do they keep the offense humming when Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball are both out of the game? Chris Finch has already made clear he does not see a need to lean on either star for all 48 minutes, which means Minnesota will have to make those non-star stretches count if it wants to maximize what those two can do together.
Balls workload is expected to be managed carefully, so the Wolves are going to have to find scoring from elsewhere in the rotation. Jaden McDaniels, Ayo Dosunmu, Terrence Shannon Jr. and Bones Hyland are among the players expected to help fill those gaps, and how well that support group holds up could go a long way toward determining whether Minnesotas offense stays steady or bogs down whenever its two headliners sit. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Kuminga Already Puts The Wolves In A Tough Spot
The Timberwolves have added Jonathan Kuminga on a two-year contract, and the early read is that he is being slotted in as the starting power forward. It is the kind of move that can reshape a rotation quickly, especially for a team trying to sharpen its frontcourt and get clear answers about how the pieces fit around him.
The interesting part is what happens if the fit is not as smooth as expected. Minnesota would then have to decide whether to keep Kuminga in that role or rethink his usage, and that is where the history matters. He was not especially comfortable with coming off the bench during his time with the Warriors, so any future move out of the starting group could become a sensitive part of the equation. [Read more 🡒]