Jonathan Kuminga is arguably the Minnesota Timberwolves' most polarizing player. One of the primary points Kuminga's detractors made was that his playmaking was subpar. For his career, Kuminga has averaged 1.9 assists to 1.4 turnovers. Additionally, he struggled to make complex reads that the Golden State Warriors' system asked him to. Therefore, this criticism tracked to some extent.
Fortunately, Kuminga's playmaking has been on point so far with the Timberwolves. Through seven games, Kuminga has 2.6 assists and 0.3 turnovers. In total, Kuminga has recorded 18 assists and two turnovers. This gives Kuminga an assist-to-turnover ratio of 9, which ranks fifth in the league according to NBA.com. That's pretty darn solid.
Overall, Kuminga has been tremendous in a complementary role. His defense against forwards has been stout, and he has been an athletic finisher who can comfortably function off the ball. The playmaking he has provided, though, is yet another factor in his success in a complementary role.
Jonathan Kuminga's playmaking has been a factor in his success with the Timberwolves
Kuminga hasn't made super difficult passes or been anything close to a primary playmaker. However, the Wolves don't need him to do this. They have LaMelo Ball and plenty of other perimeter players. What they need from Kuminga is to make the extra pass, to be aware of kickout options on drives, make quick decisions, and to avoid turnovers. So far, he's done exactly that.
Occasionally, he'll initiate the offense, and he has handled this role pretty well situationally.
Generally speaking, though, Kuminga has been a low-usage play-finisher. In fact, his 16.3 usage rate is the lowest mark of his career. Being an athletic play-finisher is the role that Kuminga is best suited for. He cuts off the ball well, rolls to the rim, and is a force in transition. Kuminga can attack mismatches and create for himself a bit, but he shouldn't (and doesn't) have a ton of creation duties.
Still, to thrive in this role and as a complementary player overall, some connective playmaking is needed. Simply put, the play can't always end with Kuminga. Thankfully, he has provided this skill with his quick decision-making and willingness to make the extra pass.
Above all, his quick decision-making has impressed me. Entering the season, I was dubious of Kuminga's ability to make quick reads in the half-court given his typical affinity for difficult shot-making. Regardless, he has silenced this concern and then some. In addition to his improved playmaking, Kuminga has cut back on his difficult shot attempts.
All things considered, Kuminga has looked awesome in a complementary role, and he has given the Timberwolves exactly what they could've hoped for when they signed him. Amid all the talk of his stout defense and refined shot selection, Kuminga's sharp playmaking is a factor in his success that should be mentioned.
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