When the Minnesota Timberwolves traded Julius Randle and the No. 28 pick in the 2026 draft to the Nets for the No. 33 pick in what was a multi-team deal, fans were left scratching their heads. Little did they know what — more like who — was coming, as Tim Connelly had a plan all along. Even with LaMelo Ball, though, the team still had a void at the four with Randle and Naz Reid's departures, but what do you know? That's no longer the case.
As ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Wednesday, Jonathan Kuminga agreed to sign a two-year, $12 million deal with Minnesota that includes a player option in the second season. He chose the Timberwolves over a three-year contract worth over $36 million from the Lakers.
The Randle trade already worked out perfectly for the Timberwolves, not just because of Ball, but also because they used the pick swap they received from the Nets to select Isaiah Evans.
But even then, fans might have noticed the Timberwolves missing a power forward at times during the upcoming season; as polarizing as he was, they now have a clear-cut option to fill that role.
Now, Kuminga is still an unproven player, hence why he agreed to sign the deal he did, but getting him for $6 million in comparison to Randle's $33.3 million will make (and even the $23.3 million Reid will make) is quite the move.
Kuminga is the Timberwolves' Randle replacement
Randle's first season in Minnesota ended with the Timberwolves' second-straight run to the conference finals, where he proved the narrative wrong that he disappears in the playoffs, dating back to the Knicks' 2021 playoff loss to the Hawks.
As a result, Minnesota signed him to a three-year, $100 million extension that offseason, a decision that didn't play in its favor during this past season.
Randle's inconsistencies were on full display, though he still averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game, up from 18.7 points per game in his first season in Minneapolis. His iso-style tendencies dragged the offense down, as did his careless decisions. After watching him in the 2026 playoffs, fans were ready for the front office to move on.
Like Randle, Kuminga's career has been marked by inconsistency, but the Timberwolves are better equipped to handle it. Now that Ball is Anthony Edwards' new co-star, Minnesota doesn't need to rely on Kuminga the way it did on Randle. They don't need him to match Randle's production.
If Kuminga can buy into the role carved out for him in Minnesota, one that won't involve him having the ball in his hands nearly as much as he'd probably prefer, both he and the Timberwolves will be better off.
Minnesota is already better off as is without Randle, and that was the case before Wednesday's news, but even more so now. Connelly, who keeps proving he's one of the best executives in the league, landed the Timberwolves the best power-forward available on a low-cost, high-reward deal, putting the bow on a successful offseason.
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