Jonathan Kuminga is still the biggest name sitting in unrestricted free agency, and the Minnesota Timberwolves have emerged as one of the teams most often linked to him. The catch is simple: the 23-year-old has reportedly been seeking a deal that clubs can’t really afford to hand out this late in the offseason unless a sign-and-trade gets involved.
That leaves a one-year prove-it contract as a real possibility, with Kuminga then trying to reset his market next summer. Among the teams being discussed most heavily, the Los Angeles Lakers and Timberwolves stand out.
If Minnesota lands him, the fit comes with a neat bit of history. The pick that became Kuminga was part of the 2020 trade between the Wolves and the Golden State Warriors, which means the franchise could wind up with the player it effectively sent away before he ever played an NBA game.
That February 6, 2020 deal sent Andrew Wiggins, a top-three-protected 2021 first-round pick, and a 2021 second-round pick to Golden State. In return, Minnesota got D’Angelo Russell, Jacob Evans, and Omari Spellman.
The pick the Warriors received ended up at No. 7 in 2021, and they used it on Kuminga.
His time in Golden State came with plenty of ups and downs. He became the youngest player ever to start a playoff game as a rookie and later won a championship that same year. But he also found himself in Steve Kerr’s doghouse more than once before being traded to the Atlanta Hawks in February 2026.
For the Timberwolves, the irony is hard to miss. More than six years later, they could have a chance to repair a trade that didn’t exactly break their way. Evans appeared in only two games for Minnesota, Spellman never played for the team, and Russell struggled badly in the 2022 playoff series he played with the Wolves, hitting just one-third of his shots before Minnesota moved him in 2023 in the deal that brought back Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
Minnesota could also offer Kuminga something concrete right away: a starting job at power forward from day one. The financial side is a different story, though.
At the moment, the Wolves can only put the veteran’s minimum on the table, far below what Kuminga was aiming for. Still, that route would give him a chance to rebuild his value and return to free agency in 2027.
So yes, the Timberwolves technically traded Kuminga back in 2020 before he had even entered the league. Now they may have the chance to bring him in and use him to address a starting lineup hole that has been talked about all offseason.
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For Tim Connelly, that matters because he is entering the final year of his contract and his future could be tied as much to the new power structure as to the roster itself. Minnesota has already been active this offseason, making changes that include adding LaMelo Ball and parting with Julius Randle and Naz Reid, and the sense around the league is that Connellys standing remains strong as the ownership situation settles into place. [Read more 🡒]