Marc Stad didn’t waste much time showing what kind of owner he wants to be.
After the Timberwolves’ ownership picture shifted last week, the first real question was simple: would Stad be willing to spend like a team trying to win now? On the Jonathan Kuminga pursuit, the answer appears to be yes. According to The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski, Stad gave president of basketball operations Tim Connelly “the green light” to do green light to do whatever it took to reach the $6 million taxpayer mid-level exception and finalize the deal.
That matters because the move could come with a real financial bite. Kuminga would hard cap Minnesota above the second apron, and there’s a strong chance the Wolves would have to waive and stretch Josh Green to make the signing official.
That would leave $4.9 million in dead money on the books for the next three years. Not every owner would sign up for that.
Stad, at least so far, seems willing to do it.
The approval also opened the door for Anthony Edwards to step in and make a full recruiting pitch to Kuminga. For Wolves fans, that’s the kind of signal that can ease some nerves about a new owner possibly getting in the way of basketball decisions.
Still, the Kuminga move is only the opening act. The bigger financial pressure point is the luxury tax.
Even with Edwards at $48.9 million, Ball at $40.7 million and Rudy Gobert at $36.5 million, Minnesota’s tax bill is already a live issue. It was one of the loudest offseason talking points when the team salary-dumped Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets. And while Stad was already a minority owner, there was no guarantee he’d be eager to keep writing checks for the roster now and for the expensive contracts that could be coming later.
That future includes a potential supermax extension for Edwards that could be worth up to $345 million in the summer of 2027, plus an extension for Connelly, who is entering the final year of his contract - though with a hefty bonus - at the end of it.
Viewed through that lens, giving the go-ahead on a $6 million taxpayer mid-level deal is hardly the biggest financial swing. But it does say something about Stad’s priorities.
The next test could be even bigger. The Timberwolves’ front office shakeup comes with long-term questions, and so does the possibility of a new arena to replace Target Center. KSTP reported that Target Center’s lease runs through the 2034-35 season, which gives the team time to work through a deal.
Krawczynski added that Stad and the rest of the ownership group are “fully on board” with keeping the Wolves and the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx in Minnesota with an arena and entertainment district that could be built in downtown Minneapolis.
That picture only gets more expensive as the roster climbs deeper into tax territory, current contracts rise, and the WNBA continues to grow, bringing higher costs for players and infrastructure for the Lynx.
For now, though, Stad has already passed one meaningful test. He backed the Kuminga chase, accepted the possible dead-cap fallout, and showed that he’s willing to spend to build a winner. That’s a strong first answer for a new owner with a lot more decisions ahead.
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Anthony Edwards Is Setting A Different Tone For The Timberwolves
The Timberwolves have spent the offseason projecting a more connected, more settled group, with the kind of low-key bonding that can matter once the games start counting. The roster has been active away from the floor, from players keeping up with one another on social media to the team documenting Donte DiVincenzos rehab from an Achilles injury, all of it feeding the sense that Minnesota is trying to build continuity as much as talent.
Anthony Edwards is also sounding and acting like a player ready to carry more of the tone-setting load. For a team that already knows what it looks like to win in spurts, the bigger question is how that energy translates when the rotation settles and the new pieces are asked to fit quickly into a group that expects to contend again. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Still Have One Roster Problem They Can't Ignore
Jonathan Kumingas decision to land with the Timberwolves on a two-year deal leaves the Lakers still staring at the same basic problem that has hung over their roster for most of the offseason. They need more help on the wing, especially with players who can bring size and versatility, but their options are shaped less by wish list than by cap math and the reality of a crowded payroll.
Los Angeles remains boxed in by the limits of its financial situation, which means any meaningful addition likely requires another move first. That is why the names floating around the market are the sort of lower-cost pieces that can still matter, with Bruce Brown and Cam Whitmore among the wings the Lakers could examine as they try to patch the roster without further tying their hands. [Read more 🡒]
Bulls Still Have A Chance To Turn These Misses Into A Win
The Timberwolves added another young wing piece in Jonathan Kuminga on a two-year contract, a move that fits their broader effort to stay competitive while keeping their roster in motion. Around the league, Bennedict Mathurin landed in New Orleans on a similar two-year deal, and the Bulls were notable for what they did not do, passing on a more aggressive push for either player despite having an open roster spot.
Chicagos decision was about preserving roster and financial flexibility, even as both players came in at a price that some teams could have justified. For Minnesota, the signing gives the front office another option to sort through, but it also tightens the cap picture enough that every follow-up move matters, especially with the roster still needing room for one more body and the ripple effects of any additional transaction likely to shape what comes next. [Read more 🡒]