Chris Finch didn’t hold back after Minnesota’s win over Milwaukee. The Timberwolves coach said his team would be lost without Jonathan Kuminga right now. The former Warriors forward arrived in free agency with a reputation as a scorer and shot creator, and the Timberwolves asked him to do almost the opposite. The Jonathan Kuminga role in Minnesota has turned out to be one of the early-season surprises.
Jonathan Kuminga Role Has Become the Perfect Fit in Minnesota
Finch said the staff told Kuminga when he got to Minnesota that they needed him to be the dirty-work guy, the connective tissue. They also told him to stay confident in his shot and let it fly when he’s open.
Kuminga has bought in. “I don’t have a specific role,” he said earlier this season, but his job is to “do everything that matters on the floor,” even the things nobody sees. After the Bucks game, Finch gave the line that stuck: “We’d be lost without him right now.”
Why It Matters Even More With Edwards Out
The timing helps explain the praise. Anthony Edwards had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and was reported to miss up to two months. Minnesota went 4-2 in its first six games without him.
Kuminga has made the most of the extra work. Through 11 games he’s averaging 12.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 30.7 minutes. In the six games since Edwards went down, he’s up to 14.2 points and 6.0 rebounds. His best defensive night came against the Bucks, with 10 rebounds and four blocks. Against Houston, he scored eight of his points in the fourth quarter of a 117-107 win.
Facing the Warriors and Quieting the Doubters
His first game against Golden State, the team he left, was a good test. Kuminga led Minnesota with 20 points, five assists and two steals in 32 minutes, though the Wolves lost 119-114 as Stephen Curry scored 44.
Not everyone believed this would work. The numbers aren’t perfect, because he’s shooting about 44% from the field and that would be a career low. But the willingness to rebound, defend and play hard was never in doubt.
The Glue Piece Minnesota Needed
Every good team needs one of these players, the athletic forward who does the dirty work, spaces the floor just enough and connects the stars. Kuminga is 24 and signed late in the offseason, and the bet on him is paying off.
That Jonathan Kuminga role isn’t glamorous. It doesn’t show up in highlight reels, but when your best player is out, it’s often the reason a team keeps winning.
Jonathan Kuminga Role: Timberwolves Coach Admits They’d Be Lost Without Him