The Timberwolves lost a lot of bulk this offseason when they moved on from Julius Randle and Naz Reid, and at first glance that looks like a hit to the glass. Jonathan Kuminga brings help, but he is lighter and shorter than either of those frontcourt departures.
Even so, Minnesota may not be headed for a step back in rebounding. In fact, there’s a real case that the Wolves can be better in that area than they were a year ago.
By most measures, Minnesota was right in the middle of the pack on the boards in 2025-26. The Wolves tied for 12th in rebounds per game at 44.1 and finished 12th in rebound percentage at 50.1 percent. They also outrebounded opponents by 28 over the regular season.
Kuminga’s arrival is one reason that picture may not change for the worse. With the Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks in 2025-26, he posted the best rebounding season of his career, and somewhat surprisingly, he averaged more rebounds per 36 minutes than both Randle and Reid.
That does not mean Kuminga is automatically the better rebounder, but he should give Minnesota a boost there. It’s also a spot where he needs to keep proving himself, because the Wolves - and the rest of the league - still want to see more than scoring from him. That matters if he wants to position himself for a better long-term deal, since he could be back in free agency again next offseason.
Randle’s rebounding numbers were also shaped by the presence of Rudy Gobert, who changes the way everyone around him cleans the glass. The same dynamic showed up when Karl-Anthony Towns played next to Gobert, and Towns’ numbers climbed again after he was traded to the New York Knicks.
Minnesota also has LaMelo Ball, who gives the team its best rebounding guard in quite some time. At 6-foot-7, Ball has logged 11 triple-doubles and 31 double-figure rebounding games in 303 career appearances.
Behind Gobert, the Wolves should lean more on nearly 7-foot Joan Beringer, especially when Gobert sits. The rookie did not get much run, but the soon-to-be 20-year-old averaged 10.6 rebounds per 36 minutes. In 11 G League games with the Iowa Wolves, he pulled down 10.7 rebounds per contest, and nearly half of those came on the offensive end.
Having a natural rim protector and rebounder in the mix gives Minnesota a path to holding its own - and maybe even improving - on the boards. It is no lock, but the Wolves should not be written off as a weaker rebounding team just because they lost size.
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Lakers Still Have One Roster Problem They Need To Solve Fast
Jonathan Kuminga is headed to Minnesota on a two-year deal, and the Timberwolves are already planning to use him as part of their starting group. For a team trying to keep building around length, athleticism and defensive versatility, adding a wing with Kumingas profile fits the broader direction and gives Minnesota another piece to slot into the mix before camp fully settles in.
The Lakers, meanwhile, are left sorting through the fallout after missing out on that move and still have a roster issue they need to clean up quickly. They are working the trade market with Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt as they try to strengthen their wing and forward spots before the season starts, a reminder that the margins around the roster are still very much in play. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Kuminga Faces The One Wolves Concern Fans Cant Ignore
Minnesotas front office already made one major pivot this summer, moving Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets before turning around and signing Jonathan Kuminga in free agency. It was a clean break on paper, a chance for the Timberwolves to reset the frontcourt mix and try to add a different kind of athleticism and upside around their core.
The concern, though, is less about talent than fit. Kuminga brings the kind of ability that can change a game, but the Wolves have watched how quickly a player can bog down an offense when the role is not fully embraced. If he slips into the same kind of ball-dominant habits and mental mistakes that frustrated Minnesota with Randle, the team could be right back where it started, which is why how Kuminga handles his place in the offense matters so much. [Read more 🡒]
Jaden McDaniels Could Be The Wolves Answer To A Real Roster Concern
The Timberwolves have spent much of the offseason looking at a familiar roster question: what happens behind Rudy Gobert when the lineup needs a true backup center? Chris Finch has already acknowledged the team may need to get creative, and that conversation has included the possibility of leaning on Jaden McDaniels in a small-ball role while also mixing in more zone defense to cover some of the frontcourt gaps.
McDaniels has always stood out as one of Minnesotas most versatile defenders, and last seasons rim-protection numbers only strengthen the case for him as a situational answer when the Wolves want to change the shape of the floor. It is not a permanent fix and it would not solve every depth concern, but it gives Finch another lever to pull if the backup big picture gets thin at the wrong time. [Read more 🡒]