It's only one game, but Jonathan Kuminga's Minnesota Timberwolves era could not have gotten off to a better start. Amid all of the questions about whether he could buy into a role that didn't have him taking many shots; Kuminga brought exactly what the Wolves needed and more in his team debut.
In the Wolves' 131-106 bludgeoning of the Miami Heat, the best way to put it is that Kuminga did his job. The stats don't jump off the page; he finished with 12 points, one rebound, three assists, and an impressive four steals. However, he was tasked with guarding one of the NBA's best players, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and played efficient basketball within the Wolves' offensive flow.
This is exactly the version of Kuminga the Wolves need going forward
The image surrounding Kuminga and his fit in Minnesota was put to rest for now following this game. He seemed clearly fine with not being a focal point in the offense, considering how elite the trio of Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, and Jaden McDaniels played.
Nevertheless, he had a few impressive possessions of creation too. The Wolves are going to need a lot of that during bogged-down possessions, as he can be another guy who's able to create looks for himself at the end of the shot clock. He had some impressive rim attacks with Antetokounmpo all over him, and hit a couple threes in the corner.
What was by far the most impressive part of Kuminga's night, though, was his on-ball defense. The Wolves don't have many matchups for players with the size and skill combination that Antetokounmpo has. Rudy Gobert isn't fast enough to keep up with him on the perimeter, and McDaniels isn't strong enough to hang with him in the post.
The Wolves threw different defenders at him all night, and the only one who held their own against him was Kuminga. Sure, Antetokounmpo had 35 points, but he finished with only six rebounds and one assist, as someone who usually fills up the box score. Furthermore, Kuminga's defense prevented Giannis from having a much bigger night.
If Kuminga is able to consistently play solid defense on the athletic and strong forwards around the league, he'll be a real weapon on that end for Minnesota.
What Kuminga did against the Heat is exactly what he needs to do going forward to maintain a starting role and earn a lucrative contract in the league. If he continues to show that he can be a high-level glue guy, the Wolves need to absolutely consider making him a piece of the long-term future, even if the cap space situation makes that difficult.
Add us as a preferred source on Google