Jonathan Kuminga joins the Minnesota Timberwolves: a two-year gamble

Free-agent forward Jonathan Kuminga, the 2021 No. 7 draft pick, agreed on August 26, 2026 to a two-year contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The deal is reported as either $12.4 million or $13 million total and includes a player option for the 2027-28 season. Kuminga will enter the Wolves’ projected starting lineup at power forward alongside Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert.

Sports Illustrated

Kuminga spent five seasons with the Golden State Warriors, winning a championship in 2022 before being traded to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis. The Hawks declined his $24.3 million team option on June 29, making him an unrestricted free agent. He fielded offers from the Lakers, Bulls and Trail Blazers. Minnesota used the taxpayer mid-level exception to present a shorter-term deal that would let Kuminga re-enter free agency sooner.

CBS SportsESPNWhy weren't Lakers able to land Jonathan Kuminga? Sports IllustratedFormer Warriors wing Jonathan Kuminga signs with Timberwolves

• Contract value: reported as $12.4 million (ESPN, CBS Sports) and $13 million (Heavy, NBA.com).

Sports Illustrated

• Salary for 2026-27: roughly $6 million; player option for 2027-28: $6.4 million.

Sports Illustrated

• Career averages entering free agency: 12.5 pts, 4.2 reb, 1.8 ast per game.

ESPN

• 2023-24 three-point shooting: 31.8 % on 421 attempts.

Sports Illustrated

• Usage rate on the Warriors in his final season: second-highest behind Stephen Curry.

Sports Illustrated

Tim Connelly, the Wolves’ president of basketball operations, traveled to Miami for a four-hour meeting with Kuminga and emphasized the “big-picture fit” of pairing him with the new backcourt. The organization also noted the need to clear cap space—either by trading or waiving reserve wing Josh Green—before the upcoming Saturday deadline to accommodate Kuminga’s salary under the second-apron hard cap.

Heavy

Draymond Green warned that a $6.5 million salary is typically a bench-role figure and that Kuminga could become the “first plug that gets pulled” if the Wolves’ starting lineup struggles. The criticism underscores the risk that his lower contract may not guarantee a secure role on a roster already featuring multiple high-usage scorers.

Newsweek

Sources differ on the exact total value of the contract: ESPN and CBS Sports cite $12.4 million, while Heavy and NBA.com list $13 million. No definitive league filing has been disclosed, leaving the precise amount ambiguous.

Sports Illustrated

• “Now here's where those things get dicey: when you go to a team on a lower-level salary. … and all of a sudden that starting lineup isn't getting off to great starts, the analytics say this group isn't working that well together, a $6.5 million salary in the NBA is a bench role salary. … so my only worry for J.K. is that if it's not working, you're the first plug that gets pulled,” — Draymond Green

Newsweek

• “Kuminga will be a starter alongside Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert on the West contender,” — Shams Charania, ESPN

Heavy

The Wolves must finalize a roster move—most likely trading or waiving Josh Green—to fall below the second-apron ceiling before the Saturday deadline. Kuminga’s player option gives him flexibility to test free agency after the 2027-28 season if he “proves a certain way,” according to the front office. The upcoming NBA season will reveal whether Kuminga can translate his athleticism into the complementary role the Timberwolves envision, while the organization hopes the signing propels them back into Western Conference contention.

Sports Illustrated