Jonathan Kuminga Lands in Minnesota on a Two-Year, $13M Deal
Kuminga slides into the Wolves' starting five after averaging just 12.3 points and 5.3 boards for Atlanta last season. The fantasy math is messy.
Talented but stuck in a crowded, ball-dominant Minnesota lineup.
- Two-year, $13M deal via taxpayer mid-level exception
- Averaged 12.3 pts, 5.3 reb for Atlanta last season
- Shot 34.6% from three after deadline trade
- Slots in at the three next to Edwards, Ball, Gobert
- Turned down a longer Lakers sign-and-trade path
Jonathan Kuminga is a Timberwolf. Per reporting from ESPN's Shams Charania, the forward has agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal, stepping into the taxpayer mid-level exception Minnesota had left. It's a modest number for a player who reportedly wanted north of $15 million this summer — and a signal that his market never materialized the way he hoped after Atlanta declined his $24.3 million team option.
The pursuit was real, though. Charania reported a full-court press over the past month, including recruiting from Anthony Edwards and a marathon four-hour meeting with team president Tim Connelly. Kuminga is expected to open the season starting at the three alongside LaMelo Ball, Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert. On paper, that's a loaded roster.
Why He Chose Minnesota Over LA
The Lakers wanted him as a starter next to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, but their sign-and-trade with Atlanta stalled — the Hawks reportedly wanted picks without absorbing salary, and the deal never came together. That LA path would also have required Kuminga to commit to at least three years. Minnesota offered the shorter runway and a genuine shot at proving his value on a contender. He took it.
Kuminga's 2025-26 was a grind. He started in Golden State, where he'd bounced in and out of Steve Kerr's rotation for years, then got flipped to Atlanta at the deadline. With the Hawks he posted 12.3 points and 5.3 rebounds on 34.6% shooting from deep, mostly off the bench. A couple of big nights, plenty of quiet ones.
The Fantasy Fallout
Here's the rub: three of Minnesota's projected starters are at their best with the ball in their hands. Edwards is our #15 overall player, posting 44.1 fantasy points per game last season (2025-26, actual), and LaMelo Ball chipped in 38.2 (2025-26, actual) as our #41. Kerr's friction with Kuminga was largely about fitting a ball-mover's ecosystem — and Chris Finch inherits a similar puzzle. Don't be shocked if Kuminga ends up anchoring the second unit at times.
For fantasy managers, this is a WATCH, not a rush to add. The talent is undeniable, but the touches aren't guaranteed on a team where Edwards, Ball and Gobert eat first. Draft him as an upside flier in deeper leagues and let the first few weeks tell you whether Finch found the balance — Jaden McDaniels (our #109, 28.4 fantasy points per game in 2025-26, actual) is the low-usage template Kuminga may have to accept.
