The Minnesota Timberwolves didn’t have the obvious advantages in the Jonathan Kuminga sweepstakes.
They couldn’t offer the most money. They couldn’t offer Hollywood. And they certainly couldn’t offer Los Angeles weather.
Kuminga chose Minnesota anyway.
The 23-year-old forward agreed to a two-year, $12.4 million deal with the Timberwolves despite receiving significantly richer offers elsewhere, including from the Los Angeles Lakers. His agent, Aaron Turner, told The Athletic that Minnesota won Kuminga over with something more important to him at this stage of his career: basketball fit.
How the Wolves pulled it off is also an encouraging early sign for a franchise undergoing another ownership transition.
Anthony Edwards helped lead the recruitment. Incoming controlling owner Marc Stad gave president of basketball operations Tim Connelly approval to improve Minnesota’s initial offer. The rest of the organization joined the pursuit.
“Ant was super active in the recruitment of him,” Turner told The Athletic. “One thing he did was focus his message on, we’re gonna really guard here.”
The Wolves couldn’t win a bidding war for Kuminga.
They had to convince him Minnesota was where he belonged.
Marc Stad Gave Tim Connelly Green Light
Minnesota initially had only the $3.6 million veteran minimum available, according to The Athletic. Turner encouraged Connelly and general manager Matt Lloyd to find a way to make a more competitive offer.
Stad gave Connelly the green light to create access to the roughly $6 million taxpayer midlevel exception.
That mattered.
The Lakers were prepared to offer Kuminga more than $12 million annually over three years. Los Angeles also had advantages that can’t be measured on a salary sheet: sunshine, a massive market, arguably the NBA’s most glamorous franchise and Luka Doncic.
Minnesota couldn’t match that package.
Instead, the Wolves made Kuminga feel wanted.
Connelly met him for dinner in Miami. Coach Chris Finch held several conversations with him. Alex Rodriguez reached out. LaMelo Ball and Jaden McDaniels also contacted him.
For Stad, approving the financial maneuver was a notable first step after his agreement to purchase Marc Lore’s controlling interest in the franchise. The ownership change could have introduced uncertainty about Minnesota’s direction.
Instead, one of Stad’s first significant basketball decisions was to empower Connelly to pursue a player the organization wanted.
Anthony Edwards Helped Timberwolves Close the Deal
Then Edwards helped finish the job.
His pitch wasn’t built around shots or scoring opportunities. Edwards emphasized what Minnesota could become defensively with Kuminga alongside McDaniels and four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.
The Wolves knew Kuminga’s talent firsthand. He averaged 20.8 points on 54% shooting against Minnesota during the 2025 playoffs.
Minnesota also had an opening after trading Julius Randle and Naz Reid this summer. Kuminga could immediately slide into a frontcourt featuring McDaniels and Gobert, with Edwards and Ball in the backcourt.
For a franchise that has historically faced obvious challenges attracting coveted free agents to Minneapolis, the circumstances surrounding Kuminga’s decision are significant.
This wasn’t Minnesota simply outbidding everyone.
The bigger offer was in Los Angeles. So were the brighter lights, warmer winters and the opportunity to play with Doncic.
Turner said Kuminga stripped those advantages from the equation and focused on basketball.
“We sat at the gym this week, and I asked him, what’s the best basketball situation?” Turner told The Athletic. “He said Minnesota. Well, nothing else matters. Why would you go anywhere else?”
There are no guarantees. Kuminga still has to prove Minnesota is as good a fit on the floor as it appeared during recruitment, and his player option could put him back on the market next summer.
But the process that brought him there says something about the Wolves.
Stad backed Connelly. The front office found a pathway. Edwards and his teammates recruited the player.
And when Kuminga had the choice between more money and the glamour of Los Angeles or a basketball opportunity in Minnesota, he picked the Wolves.
Cold weather and all.
Timberwolves Get Strong Anthony Edwards, Marc Stad Signals After Ownership Shakeup