Free agent Jonathan Kuminga has settled on his next destination, but it won’t be the Los Angeles Lakers despite months of speculation connecting the two sides.
Kuminga has chosen the Minnesota Timberwolves for his third NBA stop, sparking plenty of reactions across the NBA.
Jonathan Kuminga’s Decision to Join Minnesota Triggers Strong Reactions
After being heavily linked to the Lakers for months, Kuminga ultimately opted for Minnesota. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday that Kuminga agreed to a two-year, $13 million contract with the Timberwolves.
Kuminga’s unexpected decision to join Minnesota quickly had the NBA world buzzing.
“This is a major steal,” ESPN’s Sam Block wrote.
This is a major steal.
— Sam Block (@theblockspot) August 26, 2026
“Kuminga choosing [Anthony Edwards’] T-Wolves over Luka [Dončić]’s Lakers speaks volumes… this changes everything in the West,” one Fox Sports Radio co-host shared.
Kuminga choosing Ant Man’s TWolves over Luka’s Lakers speaks volumes… this changes everything in the West 👀 https://t.co/0auFKM1FC4
— 73-9 and THEY LIED (@CuffsTheLegend) August 26, 2026
“Good! He would’ve ruined the Lakers’ locker room. Now they can afford to be patient with this new team & see which wings become available by the deadline,” co-founder of Club77 noted.
According to ESPN, Kuminga had a three-year offer valued at $12 million-plus annually on the table from the Lakers. However, the former Golden State Warriors forward decided to take the shorter-term deal with Minnesota, giving him greater control over his future.
“For the Lakers, Kuminga was about completing the roster. They currently have a hole at the starting wing spot…a significant problem. Will someone already on the roster grow into that role? I’d feel better if that was a luxury and not a necessity,” Lakers Nation host Trevor Lane explained.
“Lol Laker fans were begging for him,” one fan took a shot at the Lakers.
lol laker fans were begging for him
— Chef curry (Parody) (@baby_face_goat) August 26, 2026
“The Lakers not landing Kuminga is a negative for them even if the fit wasn’t seamless. Kuminga isn’t perfect but I think he could have helped them especially with Luka making the game easier for him on offense,” Yahoo Sports’ Damien Peters added.
The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported that several team sources, speaking anonymously about Minnesota’s private recruiting efforts, detailed the work the Timberwolves put in throughout the summer to beat other suitors for Kuminga.
Charania later reported that Anthony Edwards played a key role in Minnesota’s aggressive push to land Kuminga, while team president Tim Connelly met with him in Miami for four hours earlier this month.
The No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft spent his first four-and-a-half seasons with the Warriors before being traded to the Atlanta Hawks last season. Kuminga appeared in 16 games for Atlanta following the trade, averaging 12.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
Before the Warriors traded him, the team agreed to a two-year contract with Kuminga that included a team option for the second season. However, Kuminga became an unrestricted free agent after the Hawks declined that team option in late June.
Now, Kuminga will join Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels, and Rudy Gobert as a starter for a Western Conference contender. After a short stint with the Hawks, Kuminga will now have an opportunity to start fresh in Minnesota.
