Timberwolves land Jonathan Kuminga with $13 million contract late in free agency

The Minnesota Timberwolves and unrestricted free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga are finalizing a new 2-year, $13 million contract, as first reported by ESPN. This new contract with Minnesota contains a second-year player option, allowing Kuminga to potentially enter unrestricted free agency once again in 2027.

After months of speculation as to where Kuminga would potentially end up, he finds a new home with a Timberwolves team aiming to be competing at the top of the Western Conference during the 2026-27 NBA season. He will slide into a starting role at the power forward position.

Although Kuminga and his representation had been waiting throughout the offseason for a big deal to come their way, this never occurred. As a result, teams began making moves and filling up their roster with a variety of offseason moves, leaving Kuminga with little options available.

Over the last several weeks, Kuminga had been linked heavily to the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, the Cavs recently finalized a sign-and-trade agreement with the Denver Nuggets to acquire restricted free agent Peyton Watson, which effectively took them off the board as a Kuminga suitor.

Despite the Los Angeles Lakers looming large as a suitor for the 23-year-old, their only path to potentially landing him was by way of a sign-and-trade agreement with the Atlanta Hawks. While the Lakers were attempting to unload Jarred Vanderbilt in a sign-and-trade framework with Atlanta, this was a deal that the Hawks held no interest in, sources said.

Originally, the Lakers had pursued Kuminga outright when free agency began with a two-year, near $20 million contract. Once he and his agent declined this deal from Los Angeles, the Lakers went in a different direction with their cap space and mid-level exception, signing the likes of Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes, and Collin Sexton.

Due to their being limited opportunities late in free agency and with training camp right around the corner, Kuminga is betting on himself by accepting this $13 million contract from the Timberwolves. In Minnesota, Kuminga will immediately fill a key need the Wolves had at the forward positions alongside Jaden McDaniels.

Other teams had pursued Kuminga in free agency and by way of a sign-and-trade, but he and his representation wanted control of his immediate future. As a result, this “1+1” deal with the Timberwolves allows Kuminga to have the flexibility he wants to decide on his future next offseason.

Between his athleticism, speed, and strong frame, Kuminga checks off the boxes for being an impactful secondary talent at either forward position with the Timberwolves. This is especially true on offense, where Kuminga will be on the receiving end of lobs and passes off the cut from LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards.

Kuminga, who was originally drafted seventh overall by the Golden State Warriors in 2021, spent the first four years of his career as a secondary piece next to Stephen Curry. While the Warriors always held high hopes for Kuminga’s potential, he was never able to carve out a consistent role in Steve Kerr’s rotations.

However, he did shine in the Warriors’ second-round playoff series against the Timberwolves in 2025. With Curry and Jimmy Butler injured, Kuminga stepped up to average 20.8 points and 3.0 rebounds per game while shooting 54.3 percent from the floor. This performance in the playoffs really put him on Minnesota’s radar.

After a long standoff with Golden State’s leadership last offseason regarding contract demands, Kuminga and his side accepted a two-year, $48.5 million deal with a team option for the second year of the contract. He was traded less than five months later to the Hawks with sharpshooter Buddy Hield in a trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Warriors.

Although Kuminga played well with the Hawks, averaging 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 47.6 percent from the floor in 16 regular-season games after the trade deadline, the team decided to move on from the 23-year-old by declining his $24.3 million team option.

With his new $13 million contract with the Timberwolves, Kuminga has now found a team where he can not only be paid but prove himself in a key role. It is likely that he will start alongside McDaniels and help fill the hole left behind by Julius Randle, who was dealt to the Brooklyn Nets this offseason in the multi-team trade that brought Ball to Minnesota.

The Timberwolves finished the 2025-26 season with a 49-33 record, marking the fifth straight seasons the organization has had a winning record and their third straight with at least 49 wins. This franchise has won a playoff series three years in a row, including reaching the Western Conference Finals in both 2024 and 2025.

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