Jonathan Kuminga is probably going to be in the NBA for a long time. As he approaches 24 years old, his athleticism gives him a chance that many players would envy.
But there is a major difference between having a long NBA career and becoming the star many people envisioned when he was selected with the No. 7 overall pick by the Golden State Warriors. That is why his two-year deal and move to Minnesota are so important.
This is his last chance to prove he can become a star.
After stops with the Warriors and Atlanta Hawks, the Timberwolves represent his third team before his 24th birthday. He reportedly chose to bet on himself rather than taking $23.6M more to join the Lakers, and now the pressure is on to make that gamble pay off.
The Timberwolves depth chart is looking pretty impressive at this moment, and there could be even more moves in the pipeline following this surprising addition.
The talent has always been there. Kuminga can look nearly unstoppable attacking the rim, using his athleticism to dominate defenders. But potential eventually has an expiration date.
Minnesota may be the place where he finally puts everything together, or where the conversation about “what if” begins to take over.
This Is Kuminga’s Third Team By Age 23
Kuminga entered the NBA as one of the league’s most intriguing young prospects. He was raw, but the physical tools were there. The idea was that, eventually, the rest of his game would catch up to his athleticism.
That hasn’t happened consistently enough. The forward averaged 9.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.4 SPG, and 0.3 BPG on 51.3% FG over 70 games (12 starts) in his rookie season. Over his stint with the Warriors, Kuminga posted 12.5 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.6 SPG, and 0.4 BPG on 50.3% FG in five seasons.
See much growth there? Not much.
His time in Golden State was filled with flashes, but also frustration. Kuminga struggled to establish himself as a reliable fixture in Steve Kerr’s rotation, even as the aging Warriors needed more youth and athleticism.
Questions about his role, development, and fit eventually became impossible to ignore, and his relationship with the coaching staff became part of the story.
Then came Atlanta, where the opportunity to reset his career didn’t produce the All-Star breakthrough many expected.
The Hawks are a young, athletic team that should theoretically have been an ideal environment for a player with Kuminga’s talents. But he couldn’t quite find a way to grow into a role.
Kuminga averaged 12.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.6 SPG, and 0.3 BPG on 46.3% FG in 36 games for the 2025-26 season. With the Hawks, those numbers hovered at 12.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.9 SPG, and 0.3 BPG on 47.6% FG.
That’s the concerning part. His production has stalled over five seasons.
A third team at nearly 24 isn’t a death sentence, especially in today’s NBA. But for a former lottery pick with All-Star expectations, three teams this early in his career is not the trajectory anyone envisioned.
Minnesota doesn’t need Kuminga to put up big numbers immediately. But he has to prove that his game actually helps a good team win.
Kuminga Must Play Like A True Modern Forward
The blueprint is there for Kuminga. He needs to become more disciplined and complete.
To thrive with the Timberwolves, he must embrace being a modern forward. That means defending bigger players, smaller players, and hitting outside shots without questionable shot selection.
His offensive game also needs refinement. The highlight-reel drives to the basket are great, but star players make consistently good decisions. Kuminga must improve his shot selection and needs to work on the three-point shot.
Kuminga is only shooting 33.2% from three over his career so far, and he is coming off a season nailing only 33.3%. He shot 37.0% from deep in his second season, so there is hope for his marksmanship.
But the more threes he has taken, the lower the percentage. He attempted 3.2 three-pointers per game in his fourth season, shooting only 30.5%. He attempted 2.9 threes per game last season, shooting 33.3%.
Perhaps his best role is as a devastating small-ball power forward, which is running the floor and using his physical gifts at 6’7″ and 225 lbs to become a two-way player.
The Timberwolves don’t need another player trying to prove he’s the next superstar every possession. They need Kuminga to become the best version of the player he already has the tools to be.
He Will Almost Be 26 When This Contract Ends
Time is still on Kuminga’s side, but not as much as people might think. By the time this contract runs its course, he will be just weeks away from turning 26.
At that point, NBA teams will have a much clearer idea of exactly who he is. The “potential” label won’t carry the same weight, and teams won’t be paying him based on what he might become.
Every young player dreams of becoming an untouchable franchise cornerstone who earns a max contract and has an organization building around him. Kuminga once looked like he was headed toward that kind of future.
He still has enough talent to get there, but time is running out.
If Kuminga finally puts everything together with the Timberwolves, this could be the beginning of the career everyone expected him to have. He has two seasons to figure it out alongside Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, and Jaden McDaniels. He fits into that core well; he just needs to follow their growth patterns.
If he doesn’t, he may still have a long and successful NBA career. But the dream of becoming a true star and earning that coveted max contract could start slipping away for good.