The Minnesota Timberwolves are reportedly interested in signing free agent forward Jonathan Kuminga. It's the latest in a long line of polarizing front office decisions, with the acquisition of LaMelo Ball being the most heavily publicized yet controversial move of the summer.
More importantly, it's the ultimate endorsement of Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch. To put it simply: Minnesota trusts him to bring the best out of anyone they put on the roster.
Finch has made a habit out of taking polarizing players and getting them to buy in to his system. He's done so by not only creating a culture in which they can thrive, but catering to their strengths while guiding them to improve upon their weaknesses.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Timberwolves' latest polarizing target is Kuminga, whom they'd like to start at power forward.
"After missing out on their pursuit of LeBron James, the Minnesota Timberwolves have also expressed interest in Kuminga with their starting power forward spot up for grabs and their $6.06 million taxpayer mid-level exception available for the taking, league sources told HoopsHype."
Pursuing Kuminga is yet another expression of absolute confidence in Finch's ability to connect with his players and help them realize their potential.
Chris Finch is being asked to help yet another polarizing player fit
When Minnesota traded for Mike Conley in 2022-23, he was 35 years of age and had shot at a clip of .408/.362/.813. Finch didn't blink, immediately making the respected veteran his starting point guard and featuring him in a pivotal role as the team made consecutive Conference Finals appearances.
Conley averaged 12.1 points, 5.7 assists, and 2.4 three-point field goals made in 29.5 minutes per game on .457/.436/.892 shooting between the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons while playing under Finch.
When the Timberwolves traded for Rudy Gobert, the widespread response was that they overpaid for him by giving up three unprotected first-round picks, a protected first, and a pick swap. Finch was unfazed, featuring Gobert as his rim protector and defensive anchor.
Gobert not only won a Defensive Player of the Year award under Finch, but even now that he's in his mid-30s, has averaged just 0.2 fewer minutes per game than he did during his peak years in Utah.
Chris Finch highlights strengths, helps players fix weaknesses
When Minnesota traded former franchise player Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle, many assumed their window had been slammed shut. They'd just made a Conference Finals while starting Towns, whereas Randle had shot at a clip of .344/.283/.756 through his 15 career playoff games up to that point.
In his first year in Minnesota, Randle showed out during the playoffs by playing career-best defense and averaging 21.7 points per game on .502/.385/.880 shooting.
The key to Finch's success with such polarizing pieces is that he's also not afraid to make difficult decisions when a player's quality declines. For instance: As Conley's efficiency began to plummet as he got closer to 40 years of age, his minutes decreased to 24.7 per game in 2024-25 and 18.4 in 2025-26.
Minnesota struggled to find an ideal replacement, but after trading for an All-Star point guard in Ball, reinforcements have arrived—divisive as they may be.
Chris Finch brings the best out of players—especially the polarizing ones
Kuminga could now join Ball as incoming players whom fans and analysts are unlikely to be purely enthusiastic about. Both are exceptionally talented, but they've also been criticized for defensive inconsistency and either poor shot selection or inefficiency from beyond the arc.
As Finch has already proven, however, he knows a thing or two about how to help a player tap into their full potential.
Perhaps the magic will run out and Minnesota will have officially overplayed its hand. For that matter, they might not even land Kuminga. The fact that they're willing to enter the conversation, however, is a clear sign of how confident they are in Finch.
Fearless, tough, and fair, Finch has yet another tall task headed his way this season. Minnesota seems absolute in its confidence that he can handle what they're throwing at him.
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