The Minnesota Timberwolves' need for a power forward has been glaring since they traded Naz Reid and Julius Randle. While the Wolves are currently in the mix for LeBron James, they can't bank on signing him. In fact, The Stein Line noted this weekend that Cleveland seems to be the frontrunner, and Brian Windhorst echoed this sentiment.
At this point, the Timberwolves have missed the boat on most free agents who could fill this void, most recently Rui Hachimura, who signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. Given this, could Jonathan Kuminga be a viable pivot in free agency if the Wolves strike out on James? He's certainly the next best name available.
It's essential to note that a trade for a power forward will become more difficult once the LaMelo Ball trade is finalized on July 9. This is because Josh Green can't be aggregated with another player in a trade for 60 days after the trade is finalized.
As such, the Wolves' only path to landing an impactful player might be to sign someone, and Kuminga is one of the few rotation-level forwards still available. While there hasn't been any reporting linking Kuminga to Minnesota yet, it wouldn't be shocking if this changes.
Why signing Jonathan Kuminga could be worth the risk
Listen, signing Kuminga wouldn't be a risk-free move. The idea of Kuminga as an athletic two-way wing with solid positional size and length is a lot better than the reality of what he has been thus far. Despite his physical gifts, Kuminga has never been a positive defender -- his attention to detail and technique need to improve. Furthermore, he is a subpar decision-maker who takes ill-advised shots and has little feel as a playmaker.
This is, in short, why the Atlanta Hawks declined his team option and why he fell out of favor with Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors.
With that being said, Kuminga is still 23 years old, and on a prove-it deal, could he iron out some of his issues? I'd like to think so. And are there many better options on the open market? No, there really aren't.
Sure, the Wolves could wait and make a trade in September or even at the deadline, assuming they don't extend the LaMelo trade. But why not figure out your roster now? If you are committed to this idea of figuring things out and want to do so with a free agent signing, and you strike out on LeBron, there's no better option than Kuminga.
Realistically, Kuminga is unlikely to sign for a minimum (even despite his flaws), but by waiving Green, the Wolves could get some extra money and sign him.
And despite the red flags with Kuminga, there's a scenario where things go right. If Kuminga can consistently defend and make better decisions, we could be looking at a highly impactful and versatile forward. As is, Kuminga can fill it up as a scorer, who especially excels at attacking the rim.
His problems are fixable, and the Timberwolves could be the place to help him transform.
Again, there's some level of risk to signing Kuminga, and the move would be met with mixed reactions from the fan base. Ask yourself, though: Can the Wolves make a better move if they don't sign LeBron? The answer is, within all likelihood: no.
You might not be fond of Kuminga, and that's fine. However, I'd argue it would be far worse to go into the first season of Anthony Edwards' true prime with a flaw as glaring as the Timberwolves' forward room. To this end, Kuminga could be worth the gamble for Minnesota.
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