Jonathan Kuminga would help the Minnesota Timberwolves’ forward depth problem, but he would not fully solve it by himself. The better answer is that he could be part of the solution if Minnesota wants a younger, more athletic wing who can play up a position and take pressure off Jaden McDaniels.
After offloading Julius Randle to the Brooklyn Nets, the Wolves lost a big frontcourt scorer. Then they traded Naz Reid in the LaMelo Ball deal, making their rotation thinner at power forward.
Minnesota’s roster construction leaves McDaniels as the likely starter at the 4, with very little proven depth behind him. The Timberwolves are no longer building their frontcourt around sheer size and versatility the way they did before. With Ball, Anthony Edwards, and Ayo Dosunmu handling more of the perimeter load, the Wolves need a forward who can defend multiple spots, attack closeouts, and survive in high-leverage playoff minutes.
Jonathan Kuminga fits the age and athletic profile of a modern forward who can punish mismatches. He has shown enough two-way upside to intrigue teams, and his ability to play multiple forward positions would give the Wolves a bit more depth and flexibility to toy and tinker with multiple lineups.
Kuminga could give them another explosive slasher next to Edwards and Ball, while also taking some of the burden off McDaniels. He’s not a finished product, but he can provide energy, transition pressure, and switchable defense, all of which match Minnesota’s preferred playstyle.
The biggest issue is role, not talent. Kuminga is more of a scoring forward than a true power forward in the traditional sense, so he would reduce the depth problem but not fully solve it.
Minnesota would still need a stable rebounding presence and a reliable two-way backup if it wants to survive the regular season and playoff matchups against bigger frontcourts. There’s also the question of fit with McDaniels and Ball. If Kuminga starts, the Wolves could become more explosive, but they might also get smaller and more inconsistent on the glass. If he comes off the bench, he helps the second unit. Still, the Wolves would have to figure out who starts at the 4.
The Timberwolves solved one problem when they traded for LaMelo Ball, but they created another one in the process. Ball is a dynamic playmaker to pair with Anthony Edwards. Yet, the cost of reshaping the roster has left Minnesota looking thin at forward after offloading Julius Randle and the broader frontcourt changes that followed.
That’s why Jonathan Kuminga has become such an interesting name in the conversation. Kuminga would not be a perfect answer, but he would give the Timberwolves something they increasingly lack: a young, athletic forward who can create advantages without needing the ball to be called for him every possession. That kind of versatility has real value on a roster built around Edwards, Ball, Rudy Gobert, and Jaden McDaniels.
When he’s locked in, Kuminga can attack in transition, finish above the rim, and defend multiple positions. Minnesota has enough shot creation at the top of the roster to hide some of his rough edges, and the presence of Gobert and McDaniels could help cover for his mistakes on defense. Theoretically, he could be the kind of connector wing who lets the Wolves play faster and more aggressively.
But Minnesota’s need is deeper than one upgrade. The Randle trade and the loss of Naz Reid in the Ball deal have thinned out Minnesota’s forward rotation, leaving a hole that is partly about minutes, partly about matchup protection, and partly about rebounding. Kuminga is a forward, but not necessarily the steady, dependable power forward Minnesota needs to survive long playoff series against bigger teams. That’s the real issue. Kuminga would improve the roster, but he would not make the roster complete.
