The Minnesota Timberwolves made some bold moves in the offseason to change the roster. They made the decision to trade Julius Randle in order to acquire LaMelo Ball. That was the biggest move that Minnesota decided to make.
However, Minnesota also decided to sign Jonathan Kuminga. He chose the Timberwolves over many other interested teams around the league. Now, he’s seen as an under-the-radar player who could swing the entire NBA season as a new starter.
Timberwolves’ Jonathan Kuminga Seen as Player Who Could Swing the Season
John Hollinger of The Athletic believes that Kuminga is an under-the-radar player who could have a major say in how this season goes. He thinks that Kuminga might have finally found the right home for his skill set.
“At his best, Kuminga is a head-down bucket-getter who can isolate one-on-one and either get to the rim or draw fouls. As such, his style might work better with the extremely limited second units the Wolves will utilize, but he’ll likely lead off with the starters,” Hollinger writes.
Of course, Kuminga might have trouble driving the ball when he’s out there with the starters with Rudy Gobert clogging the paint. Anthony Edwards has had that issue. Kuminga’s outside shooting isn’t good enough to make up for what could be a limited amount of driving opportunities.
Last season, Kuminga spent the season with two different teams. He was eventually taken off the floor by the Hawks in the playoffs, which doesn’t seem like a great sign. However, he won’t be as important a piece offensively with this Timberwolves team.
In his Wolves preseason debut, Kuminga finished with just two points on 1-9 shooting against the Pacers. That doesn’t bode well for Hollinger’s prediction. Still, he’s a talented enough scorer to get things figured out, even if it might take a few weeks to get it done.
Minnesota Could Use an Added Offensive Punch
Kuminga could help the Timberwolves’ offense the most in the postseason, which is where they need the most help. The offense was stagnant due to injuries last year. Edwards was not fully healthy, and it was hard for them to keep up with other teams.
Adding Kuminga should give Minnesota a better chance to weather postseason injuries if they happen. He is someone who can handle the ball and create his own shot. Adding Ball helps with that issue, as well. However, Ball has an injury history that might scare the front office.
Last season was only the second time he had played more than 52 games in his career. He might not be too reliable from an injury standpoint. Edwards has been mostly healthy throughout his career. Kuminga will be looked at as the third offensive engine in the starting lineup.
In the playoffs a year ago, Minnesota’s offense ranked 12th out of 16 playoff teams. Fixing that lack of production is what led them to want Kuminga on the roster. His raw athleticism still makes him a tantalizing player, even though he’s already in his fifth NBA season.
New Timberwolves Player Seen as Someone Who Could Swing the NBA Season