The Minnesota Timberwolves believe they found their starting power forward in Jonathan Kuminga.
One of Kuminga’s biggest supporters in Golden State sees a potential complication.
Draymond Green praised Kuminga’s decision to sign a two-year, $12.4 million contract with Minnesota and called it a “great opportunity” for his former Warriors teammate. But Green also warned that Kuminga’s bargain salary could eventually work against him if the Timberwolves’ revamped starting lineup struggles.
“My only worry for JK is that if it’s not working, you’re the first plug that gets pulled,” Green said Friday on The Draymond Green Show.
It’s an interesting concern considering what Minnesota has invested elsewhere on its roster.
Kuminga is expected to start alongside LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert. He will make roughly $6 million this season — considerably less than the other four starters and even some players expected to come off Chris Finch’s bench.
Draymond Green Questions Jonathan Kuminga’s Financial Leverage
Green’s concern isn’t about whether Kuminga has enough talent to start.
It’s about what happens if the lineup doesn’t work.
Green argued that salary often determines how much patience an NBA organization gives a player. Stars on massive contracts aren’t easily removed from prominent roles. Players making midlevel money don’t necessarily receive the same runway.
“A $6.5 million salary in the NBA is a bench-role salary,” Green said.
Minnesota provides an unusual example.
Ayo Dosunmu signed a five-year, $112 million contract with the Wolves this summer after emerging as one of their most valuable players following his February arrival from Chicago. Dosunmu averaged 14.8 points last season and produced a memorable 43-point playoff performance against Denver.
With Kuminga arriving, Dosunmu now figures to shift to a sixth-man role despite carrying a $22.4 million average annual salary — more than three times what Kuminga will make this season.
That doesn’t mean Finch will choose his rotation based on paychecks.
But Green’s point is about organizational investment. If Minnesota needs to change something, Kuminga carries far less financial weight than Edwards, Ball, Gobert, McDaniels or Dosunmu.
And for Kuminga, maintaining a significant role is particularly important because his contract includes a player option for 2027-28. A productive season could allow him to opt out next summer and take another shot at the lucrative long-term contract that eluded him this year.
Green Still Likes Timberwolves’ Gamble
Green’s comments carry additional weight because he was among Kuminga’s most vocal supporters during their years together in Golden State.
He isn’t rooting against this experiment.
Quite the opposite.
Green believes Kuminga needed to stop worrying about what he might have earned in the past and find a situation that allows him to improve his standing around the league.
Minnesota provides one.
The Wolves had a glaring opening at power forward after trading Julius Randle and Naz Reid in their offseason makeover. Kuminga’s athleticism also fits a younger roster built around Edwards and Ball.
Minnesota already knows what Kuminga can do when given an opportunity.
When Stephen Curry was injured during Golden State’s 2025 playoff series against the Wolves, Kuminga became a larger part of the Warriors’ offense and averaged 20.8 points on 54% shooting in the series. Green believes that performance stuck with Minnesota president Tim Connelly and Edwards.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for JK,” Green said.
The Wolves are betting on the same thing.
At roughly $6 million this season, Kuminga offers Minnesota enormous upside if he finally turns his flashes into consistent production.
Green just identified the other side of that bargain.
Kuminga’s contract makes him one of the NBA’s more intriguing value plays. It also means Minnesota has relatively little financial incentive to keep him in the starting lineup if the experiment doesn’t work.
Timberwolves Get Jonathan Kuminga Warning From Draymond Green After Signing