Free agent Jonathan Kuminga signed a two-year, $12.4 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves that has a player option for Year 2.
His agent Aaron Turner informed ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Among other things, one of the key selling points for Minnesota was how Kuminga would take the place of their starting power forward next to Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels, and Rudy Gobert on an experienced Western Conference team contender.
In order to make this move official, the Timberwolves are expected to explore trade opportunities for their backup wing Josh Green, but if they fail to find one, they will likely waive and stretch Green before Saturday’s deadline, according to league sources, who spoke to Charania.
How Minnesota Outmaneuvered Rivals
The Timberwolves were able to outbid the offers made by the Los Angeles Lakers, Chicago Bulls, and Portland Trail Blazers to Kuminga, who rejected a similar starting position and salary of $12 million plus annually over three years from the Lakers in a sign-and-trade deal, choosing Minnesota in a shorter term deal that will give him the option to be a free agent again next year, according to league sources, who spoke to Charania.
Over the past month, the Timberwolves have continued to aggressively recruit Kuminga, providing their best remaining financial tool — the taxpayer mid-level exception — combined with a substantial on-court opportunity.
Edwards has been an active participant in the complete-court recruiting campaign to sign Kuminga.
The team’s president, Tim Connelly, met in person with Kuminga for four hours in Miami earlier this month, while the sixth-year wing has had some productive talks with coach Chris Finch, according to league sources.
This is the second year in a row that Kuminga has found himself in a prolonged free agency situation.
Last summer’s prolonged discussions with the Golden State Warriors in restricted free agency extended to October when the Warriors managed to re-sign Kuminga to a two-year, $46.8 million deal, with a team option in the second year.
Kuminga’s dysfunctional relationship with his drafting franchise reached its climax in February when the Warriors traded Kuminga to the Atlanta Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis.
Kuminga proved to be a productive contributor for the Hawks in their push for the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and contributed 13.7 points in 26 minutes off the bench in the team’s six-game first-round series against the New York Knicks.
However, the Hawks declined Kuminga’s $24.3 million team option in late June, making Kuminga an unrestricted free agent.
In the early days of free agency, the Lakers were the most aggressive suitors for Kuminga.
GM Rob Pelinka had some meetings with Hawks’ GM Onsi Saleh about sign-and-trade deals involving Kuminga, but the three parties involved — Lakers, Hawks and Kuminga — never agreed on anything.
That left the door open for the Timberwolves to acquire Kuminga on a short-term deal, adding a 23-year-old wing with 334 career games played, 40 in the postseason.
The most memorable stretch of Kuminga’s career happened in his matchups against his future team when he scored 20.3 points on 54.3% shooting in the second round playoff series against Minnesota as a Warrior in 2025.
