Since trading for Rudy Gobert in 2022, the Minnesota Timberwolves have had a strong defensive identity. Likewise, they've been a top defense in each season with Gobert. However, since the 2023-24 season, in which they finished first in defensive rating, the Wolves haven't been able to reach these top-tier heights.
Thankfully, the Wolves' defense is back to being a true juggernaut, as they once again rank first in the league in defensive rating per Cleaning the Glass. And Jonathan Kuminga has helped them level up. Despite the Wolves always having a successful defense, they've never had a high-end forward stopper. Karl-Anthony Towns wasn't quick enough to hang with star forwards. Ditto for Julius Randle, who also had countless off-ball lapses. While Jaden McDaniels is great against guards and smaller wings, he struggles against physical forwards.
Kuminga gives the Timberwolves this element, and he's helping them level up.
Jonathan Kuminga has been an elite forward stopper
There's no denying it: Kuminga has been fantastic on defense. He has taken on difficult matchups, including Zion Williamson, Paolo Banchero, Scottie Barnes, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Evan Mobley, holding his own or flat-out shutting them down each time.
Overall, Kuminga is holding opposing players to 38.3 percent shooting as the primary defender, per NBA.com. For context, 46.8 is the league average defensive field goal percentage. Simply put, he's been one of the league's best forward stoppers.
At 225 pounds, he has ample strength to hang with bigger forwards. His combination of strength and length is key to his success when defending forwards. Kuminga's discipline against tough matchups has really impressed me. He's been able to wall players up on drives while avoiding foul trouble. All the same, he's quick enough to guard perimeter players if needed.
Kuminga has also been super disruptive as a defensive playmaker. Specifically, he is averaging 1.9 stocks per game. Ultimately, Kuminga's ability to shut down players on the ball and wreak havoc off the ball has made him a highly impactful defensive forward.
Kuminga gives the Timberwolves' defense an element they've never had
Yes, it's only 11 regular-season games, but the Wolves' defense has never looked better, and the early numbers bear this out. The Wolves' 105.4 defensive rating is better than their 108.9 DRTG in 2023-24. And I don't think this is simply a small sample size. As established earlier, the Wolves' defense has never had a player who can shut down physical forwards. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that this defense has statistically reached another level.
Of course, the Wolves' defense was already elite. Primarily, the combination of Gobert's rim protection and McDaniels' point-of-attack defense was the reason for the Wolves' success. Having a forward stopper makes the Wolves well-equipped to shut down star guards, forwards, and bigs. How many teams can truly say that they can do this?
Gobert's presence also prevents opposing players from attempting shots at the rim. Pair this with the on-ball brilliance of McDaniels and Kuminga, along with a rotation filled with plus defenders, and this unit is truly terrifying for opposing teams.
Given this, it should be no surprise that the Wolves' defensive rating with Gobert, McDaniels, and Kuminga is 97.1, a number that ranks in the 99th percentile according to Cleaning the Glass.
So far, the Timberwolves are off to an 8-3 start, and their defense has been central to it. This trend will continue throughout the season, and once the playoffs roll around, the Timberwolves' defense may help spark a championship run.
We've already seen their stout defense drive two conference finals runs. But with the extra layer of versatility that Kuminga unlocks, the Wolves are better equipped to deal with a variety of teams in the playoffs. At the same time, their offense is more dynamic with LaMelo Ball.
The point is that this Timberwolves team is better than ever, and Kuminga's defense is a big reason why.
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