Minnesota lands Jonathan Kuminga on two-year deal

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Jonathan Kuminga just took the unexpected route.

Just when everyone thought that he would sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, the athletic small forward made a surprising move, choosing the Minnesota Timberwolves, as announced on Aug. 27, 2026.

According to ESPN veteran NBA insider Shams Charania, Kuminga and the Timberwolves agreed to a two-year, USD 13 million contract that includes a player option.

Aside from the Lakers and the Timberwolves, Charania added that the Portland Trail Blazers and the Chicago Bulls also made offers in an attempt to lure Kuminga.

Several NBA analysts projected the Lakers to become Kuminga’s top destination after the Western Conference team reportedly offered him a three-year contract worth more than USD 12 million annually.

Despite the bigger offer, Kuminga shocked the NBA landscape by taking a pay cut with the Timberwolves, whose deal is worth about half the annual salary the Lakers offered.

Initially, Kuminga’s camp expressed a preference for a short-term deal to rebuild his trade value. The Timberwolves offered a more flexible two-year deal with a player option that would give him more control over his future.

Bleacher Report senior NBA insider Jake Fischer previously discussed that Kuminga’s arrival in Minnesota might be in limbo due to LaMelo Ball’s addition, which would give him fewer touches.

However, Kuminga could still benefit from a change of scenery, with Minnesota projecting a starting lineup of Ball, Anthony Edwards, Kuminga, Jaden McDaniels, and Rudy Gobert.

Kuminga is coming off a stellar season with the Atlanta Hawks, averaging 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 16 regular-season games.

The former Golden State Warriors rising star also showed flashes of clutch play in the playoffs, averaging 13.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in six games during Atlanta’s first-round series loss to the New York Knicks.