Since he signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves, I've expressed confidence that Jonathan Kuminga will buy into a complementary role. At first, he was saying all of the right things. Considering this, his contract, and the Timberwolves' culture, this is a fair assessment. Still, over the weekend, Kuminga's controversial agent, Aaron Turner, mentioned that the market will be better for Kuminga next offseason while appearing on FanDuel's Run It Back.
"Money coming before basketball is not how you continue to make more and more money," Turner said. "Next year is a way better free agency year for him...teams that have been trying to sign-and-trade for him, like Sacramento and Chicago, will have a lot of money."
Now, on the Kevin O'Connor Show, Turner did clarify that Kuminga will ideally stay in Minnesota, and prioritizing basketball over money is a positive sign. Already talking about other teams, though, is simply a bad look. And while I still lean optimistically regarding Kuminga's fit with the Wolves, these comments do make me a bit nervous.
Kuminga took a "prove-it" deal with Minnesota; he will surely decline his $6.4 million player option next offseason. It's no secret he wanted a bigger deal heading into free agency this summer. Given that the Timberwolves are nearing the second apron and that they don't have his Bird Rights, re-signing him is tricky. Again, though, you never want to openly discuss other options.
To me, this also hints at the possibility that Kuminga will take the wrong approach to trying to earn a bigger contract: prioritizing stats over impact.
Jonathan Kuminga must buy into a complementary role to earn a bigger contract
Thankfully, there's some positive evidence to suggest that Kuminga is ready to buy into a role with the Wolves. Turner previously noted that offense was secondary to Kuminga's decision to join the Timberwolves. Furthermore, Kuminga sacrificed money to sign with Minnesota for fit purposes.
This is great and all, but if Kuminga already has one foot out the door and his mind is drifting off toward what his next contract may look like, that wouldn't be ideal for the Wolves or frankly his future. While a big contract could motivate him to have a strong season, Kuminga needs to be fully bought into a high-end complementary role throughout the season. Kuminga needs to show that he can play a role on a winning team, and he can't constantly be thinking about what's next.
He also needs to understand that his ticket to a contract isn't putting up massive numbers; it's doing all the "little things" well. Kuminga's focus on defense is a great sign. His ability to defend opposing forwards will be crucial, yet he needs to show more off-ball engagement. Offensively, Kuminga will mainly be counted on as a play-finisher rather than a shot creator. Additionally, he'll have to provide skills like crashing the offensive glass and setting screens.
The reality is that while Kuminga can offer some shot creation juice, he's not good enough to be a focal point of an offense. Likewise, with Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, the Wolves don't need Kuminga to be a regular shot creator. As such, playing an Aaron Gordon-like role is Kuminga's path to earning a hefty payday.
Still, if Kuminga's camp already has a wandering eye, that brings questions to the idea that he's all-in on doing what it takes to win. Unfortunately, he may chase stats in hopes of earning a bigger contract. This is especially true given his inability to embrace a complementary role with the Golden State Warriors, even if the Wolves' system is a better fit for him.
If Kuminga doesn't buy into a role, and his shot-chucking habits remain prevalent, he'll suddenly become a massive distraction for a team that's trying to win a championship. Maybe Turner made a silly comment mentioning other suitors. His comments won't make me give up on Kuminga buying into a complementary role with the Timberwolves, but they certainly are eyebrow-raising.
Given their power forward need, Kuminga was worth the risk for the Timberwolves. Regardless, it was always a gamble, and unfortunately, having his sights set on a different contract elsewhere could be a reason this gamble backfires.
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