Jonathan Kuminga did it for the culture.
That’s what the forward said at his introductory press conference Thursday in Minnesota when asked why, exactly, he selected the Timberwolves as his next team – and their one year, $6.5 million offer – over others (such as the Los Angeles Lakers’ three-year, slightly more lucrative contract).
He had been recruited by Minnesota for weeks. The Timberwolves were stranded at power forward after dealing away Naz Reid and Julius Randle and missing out on the LeBron James sweepstakes.
They put forth a full-on recruiting effort into Kuminga – a versatile forward who can contribute on both ends. Anthony Edwards called Kuminga repeatedly. Tim Connelly and Co. visited Kuminga down in Miami.
“I spoke to so many people on this team – including the front office, the coaches, some of the players – and the vibe was just the type of vibe that I was looking for,” Kuminga said. “I think that made me make this decision even way easier, and I just went with it.”
Kuminga said signing with the Wolves was “one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”
The 23-year-old cited the roster – he’s excited to play with point guard LaMelo Ball, who he surmised is the best passer with whom he has shared the floor. He’s excited to play defense in front of a shot blocker like Rudy Gobert, which will allow him to unleash his defensive aggression.
Most of all, he’s excited to win.
“I just wanted to go to a winning culture,” Kuminga said, “and I think this was one of the best winning cultures I could’ve chose out of all the options.”
His challenge now is to augment it.
Timberwolves basketball boss Tim Connelly highlighted Kuminga’s career numbers Thursday, including his 40 career playoff games and a near 60% NBA winning percentage. But he didn’t tout a major role in many of those postseason appearances. Frankly, his playing time has been sporadic throughout his career to date.
This year will be different. He’s slotting in as the starting power forward on a team that expects to win big.
“I think just looking back, that was one of the things that me and my group and my team, as we sat down and started to figure out where do we want to go, why here?” Kuminga said. “I think the choice was we’re trying to win. We’re trying to help win. I think that’s why I made this decision.”
Kuminga – who was on a title team as a rookie in Golden State in 2022 – noted he knows what winning is and what it takes to win.
In Minnesota, that figures to include so many “other” things that expand far beyond scoring. Connelly said Kuminga “instantly” became one of the team’s best cutters upon his arrival with his “innate feel for getting open.” Kuminga figures to be a major asset in transition.
He’ll also need to be the perimeter defensive menace the forward has shown flashes of in recent years. Kuminga is confident surrounding himself with defenders like Gobert and Jaden McDaniels will only elevate his play on that end of the floor.
Kuminga said he has had little conversation with Timberwolves coach Chris Finch and the team’s front office about his exact role moving into the upcoming campaign. But they’ve all told him he simply needs to be himself. If he plays defense at the level at which he’s capable, the rest will take care of itself.
“I think my game, my mentality, pretty much everything fits well with the group,” Kuminga said. “No matter what it is, they can put me wherever, run the floor, screen, defend, play fast, whatever it is, I feel like I can come in and be one of our best defenders. I think I fit pretty well.”
Time will tell. Kuminga didn’t garner a major offer in free agency he coveted this offseason. It’s part of the reason he landed in Minnesota at a major discount. So this, again, will be a contract campaign for the young forward. But that’s not to say it’s a “prove it” year in the forward’s mind. There’s nothing he feels he needs to make anyone believe about himself or his game.
“I think it’s just being a winner. Trying to contribute every single day. Giving all I’ve got for this team, for the city, for the fans,” he said. “It’s nothing really I’ve got to come and prove to certain people. As long as I come here every day and I’m a winner, a good teammate and a good person, everything will take care of itself. So I don’t need to do things that I haven’t done before. So I don’t think that’s my purpose or what I’m looking forward to. It’s just trying to win, and I think that’s about it.”