Jonathan Kuminga is headed to Minnesota.
The 23-year-old forward has agreed to a two-year, $13 million contract with the Timberwolves, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The deal includes a player option for the second season, giving Kuminga the flexibility to return to free agency relatively quickly if his value rises.
Kuminga chose Minnesota despite reported interest from several other teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls and Portland Trail Blazers. The Lakers were reportedly willing to offer significantly more money over a longer term, but Kuminga ultimately prioritized a shorter commitment and a clearer opportunity to re-establish himself in a prominent role.
Kuminga is expected to enter Minnesota’s starting lineup alongside Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert, giving the Timberwolves another explosive athlete capable of attacking the rim, running in transition and creating offense from the forward position. Edwards was also reportedly involved in Minnesota’s recruitment of Kuminga, while team president Tim Connelly played a major role in selling him on the opportunity.
The move represents another fresh start for Kuminga after an uneven few years.
Selected seventh overall by Golden State in the 2021 NBA Draft, Kuminga spent most of his first five NBA seasons with the Warriors. His athleticism and scoring flashes repeatedly suggested significant upside, but his role fluctuated and questions about consistency, shooting and his fit within Golden State’s system followed him throughout his tenure.
He was traded to Atlanta during the 2025-26 season and averaged 12.2 points per game in 16 regular-season appearances for the Hawks. Atlanta later declined his $24.3 million team option, sending Kuminga into unrestricted free agency.
Minnesota now offers him something particularly valuable at this stage of his career: another chance to prove he can be more than a talented rotational piece.
The financial commitment is relatively modest for the Timberwolves, while the short-term structure gives Kuminga an opportunity to rebuild his market if he thrives in a larger role. If he can provide efficient scoring, improve defensively and consistently complement Edwards and Minnesota’s other creators, the contract could become one of the offseason’s better value bets.
For Kuminga, though, the equation is even simpler. After years of uncertainty over his role and future, he has chosen a team willing to give him another opportunity to show exactly what kind of player he can become.
