The Minnesota Timberwolves spent more than a week knowing Jonathan Kuminga was coming. On Friday, they finally got to introduce him as one of their own.
Minnesota officially announced the signing of the 23-year-old forward, formally completing a move that had already reshaped the look of its starting five. Kuminga, who turns 24 on Oct. 6, will wear No. 24 with the Timberwolves.
The team marked the announcement with a simple message on social media — “WELCOME TO MINNESOTA” — alongside an image of Kuminga in his new blue uniform.
The signing removes the final bit of procedural uncertainty from one of Minnesota’s most intriguing offseason additions.
Kuminga agreed to a two-year deal worth roughly $13 million, with a player option included, after drawing interest from several teams. Minnesota’s pitch centered on something Kuminga had spent much of his career searching for: a clearly defined role and a starting job next to Anthony Edwards.
Now that pitch becomes a basketball test.
Jonathan Kuminga Finally Gets the Role He Wanted
Kuminga is expected to start at power forward alongside LaMelo Ball, Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert.
That matters.
His first five NBA seasons with Golden State were often defined by flashes of elite athleticism and stretches of uneven opportunity. Kuminga could look like a future star one week and a player without a clearly established place in the rotation the next.
Minnesota is offering something different.
There should be little ambiguity when training camp opens. The Wolves need Kuminga to defend multiple positions, run the floor, attack the rim and complement Edwards without needing the ball on every possession.
It is a role that could fit him.
It also comes with pressure.
Draymond Green, one of Kuminga’s strongest supporters during his Warriors tenure, recently warned that the modest salary attached to his new deal could make him one of the first players moved out of the lineup if things do not click.
“My only worry for JK is that if it’s not working, you’re the first plug that gets pulled,” Green said on his podcast.
Green also characterized Kuminga’s salary as more typical of a bench role than a protected starting spot.
That does not mean Minnesota intends to treat him that way. It does mean Kuminga will have to earn the patience that usually comes with a larger financial commitment.
No. 24 Marks a Clean Break
The jersey change gives the move a visible sense of separation from Kuminga’s past.
He wore No. 00 during much of his Warriors tenure and No. 0 in Atlanta. In Minnesota, he will start over with No. 24.
The symbolism is easy enough to see, but the more important reset is basketball-related.
Kuminga is joining a roster where he should have a cleaner path to regular minutes and a more stable place in the hierarchy. He is not being asked to become Edwards’ equal. He is being asked to make the lineup more athletic, more switchable and more dangerous in transition.
At 6-foot-8, Kuminga gives Chris Finch a forward who can pressure the rim in ways Minnesota’s other starters do not.
The question is whether he can do it consistently enough to stay on the floor.
Timberwolves Bet on Upside, Not Certainty
For Minnesota, the contract keeps the risk low.
If Kuminga takes a real step forward, the Wolves could have a starting-caliber forward entering his age-24 season on a bargain deal. If the fit is awkward, the financial commitment is limited.
That is what makes the move appealing.
Kuminga is still young enough to improve, accomplished enough to know what NBA success looks like and talented enough to change the ceiling of Minnesota’s frontcourt.
The Timberwolves have now made the signing official.
Kuminga has his number.
The next question is whether No. 24 can turn a fresh start into the breakthrough season Minnesota is betting on.
Timberwolves Make Jonathan Kuminga Signing Official With Fresh Twist