Jonathan Kuminga arrived in Minnesota seen as a good but flawed player. Still, the Timberwolves desperately needed a starting power forward, and he was by far the best option available when he signed late in the offseason.
One of his weaknesses over his first five NBA seasons before joining Minnesota was his 3-point shooting. In just one of those years, Kuminga shot them at an above-average clip.
Three games are a very small sample size. Nevertheless, shooting 63.6 percent from the 3-point line early this season is an excellent sign for Kuminga and the Timberwolves. An improved 3-point shot throughout the season will make the 3-0 Timberwolves starting lineup nearly impossible to guard.
Kuminga has multiple made threes in all 3 games
In Sunday’s 117-94 win over the Toronto Raptors, Kuminga went 3-for-4 from beyond the arc, with two makes in the first quarter.
That performance is coming off the heels of Kuminga also making multiple threes in both of their first two outings. The 24-year-old made two of three attempts against the Orlando Magic on Friday, and he went 2-for-4 last Wednesday in the season opener against the Miami Heat.
That makes Kuminga 7-for-11 from deep over three games, at 63.6 percent.
Now, it can help everyone on offense play alongside Ball. That said, Ball wasn’t even on the floor for either of Kuminga’s first-quarter 3-pointers because the team pulled him just 3:15 into the game after two fouls. Three of Kuminga’s made 3-pointers came with Ball off the floor early in the season (Ball has assisted two of Kuminga's seven makes).
The left side of the floor is where Kuminga has been comfortable putting them up. Ten of his 11 3-point attempts have come from that side. Seven of the 11 attempts have come from the left corner.
The 2021 lottery pick isn’t necessarily shooting a lot from long range, but he takes them when the opportunity presents itself. Good ball movement has created open looks for Kuminga, and he’s capitalized.
Not sustainable, but Minnesota would benefit from a career-best year
Over his first five years, Kuminga shot 33.2 percent from the 3-point range. He shot 37.0 percent in 2022-23, his career-best season, but never made better than 33.6 percent in any of his other four seasons.
Obviously, 63.6 percent isn’t sustainable. If Kuminga misses his next nine, he already drops to 35 percent. That shouldn’t happen, though, and if he can hit around 40 percent for the rest of the season, Minnesota would have four 3-point shooters in their starting lineup that Chris Finch can be confident will knock them down.
The Timberwolves' quick gel should terrify the rest of the NBA. Kuminga isn’t just making his 3-pointers; he’s doing everything he's asked and fitting in perfectly. Frankly, it's hard to think of a major concern about his fit if he keeps knocking down 3-pointers at a solid clip and playing within the flow of the offense.
Can he continue making his 3-pointers at a great percentage? Minnesota’s ceiling rises if he does. Kuminga’s next chance to do so comes Monday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Add us as a preferred source on Google