Jonathan Kuminga Knows Exactly What He Needs to Do for Timberwolves

This offseason, the Minnesota Timberwolves have been very active as they look to become one of the top teams in the Western Conference. They made moves to bolster their roster, including trading for point guard LaMelo Ball, and the mindset around the organization seems to have changed. 

Because the Timberwolves gave up forwards Naz Reid and Julius Randle, it left a hole in the roster. To fix this, they looked to free agency, and they may have found a suitable replacement.  

Minnesota signed Jonathan Kuminga to a two-year, $12 million deal, and he’s someone who could be a perfect fit in this system. 

Kuminga’s identity as a player fits the Timberwolves identity as a team. This is a team that likes to defend at a high level and has the ability to be explosive on offense.  

Jonathan Kuminga has had his ups and downs in the NBA, but his athletic ability is undeniable, and it could be exactly what the Timberwolves need to succeed in the frontcourt. 

For Kuminga, he knows he fits well with the rest of the roster and he’s confident he could make an impact. 

“I don’t need to do things I haven’t done before,” he said. 

While it sounds simple, it is true. Kuminga can score inside, space the floor, defend, and grab rebounds, and that’s the kind of play the Timberwolves are going to be looking for.  

With the addition of an elite passer like LaMelo Ball, Jonathan Kuminga has a chance to have a big 2026 season on the offensive end. He is someone who feeds off cutting to the basket and dunking the ball; LaMelo could be looking to set him up for more plays like that. 

In Charlotte, Ball built a great relationship with forward Miles Bridges and set him up countless times to score on alley-oop plays and when he cut to the basket. Bridges and Kuminga have similar traits, and this could bode well for him on the scoring front. 

What Kuminga said is true; he doesn’t have to do anything special with Minnesota. He is not going to be the focal point of the team, and there’s conversation about whether or not he will even start. 

He is going into a situation where there isn’t much pressure on him to succeed like there was in Golden State or in Atlanta. This is an opportunity for Kuminga to find his role within a winning team and find himself as a player.