This offseason, the Minnesota Timberwolves have made changes to their roster to make them one of the better teams in the Western Conference on paper.
Earlier this summer, they traded away forward Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets as part of a three-team trade, and not too long after, they traded for LaMelo Ball.
Ball is coming in to serve as that second option for Anthony Edwards, but Minnesota hopes he can also be a floor general for this team as well.
The power forward position seemed to be this roster’s biggest hole, but with their newest addition, that problem may have been solved. The Timberwolves signed Jonathan Kuminga to a two-year, $12.4 million deal.
Kuminga has spent most of his career with the Golden State Warriors but was traded in the middle of the season to the Atlanta Hawks, where he finished his season.
Jonathan Kuminga is a player who has seen his ups and downs in the NBA. He is an athletic big man who is capable of being productive on both ends of the court, but he has not fully developed into the player the Warriors hoped.
For his career, Kuminga averages 12.5 points per game, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists. He has had games where he can score at a high level, and he thrives on playing in transition and downhill.
What will help Kuminga the most is the fact that he’s playing in a lineup with the likes of LaMelo Ball. Throughout his career, Kuminga has not played with many guards who have the passing ability of LaMelo Ball.
Ball is someone who also thrives off of playing in transition because he will consistently find an open man or get to the basket himself.
If LaMelo Ball can find ways to make plays for Kuminga, he could be in for a true career resurgence. Kuminga will be 24 years old by the time the season starts, so he will have a chance to truly reinvent himself with Minnesota.
This addition makes the Timberwolves' projected starting lineup look more complete, but also more versatile. Each player provides their own set of skills, and as long as LaMelo Ball can find his teammates in the right places to succeed, Minnesota could go far this upcoming season.
It will be interesting to see how Jonathan Kuminga gets acclimated to this lineup with two dynamic guards in LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards.