Jonathan Kuminga Is Already Easing Potential Timberwolves Fears

The worry when the Minnesota Timberwolves signed Jonathan Kuminga was that he would be unwilling or unable to succeed in the Wolves' offensive system without the ball in his hands. It was the main reason the Golden State Warriors traded him to the Atlanta Hawks, who did not give him a contract offer this summer.

Jonathan Kuminga has looked impressive for the Minnesota Timberwolves during the preseason. He has fit right in with what the new version of the team is trying to do and has given Minnesota a solid combination of shot-making, rebounding, and defense.

Jonathan Kuminga doing all Timberwolves could ask and more so far

On Wednesday night against the Detroit Pistons at Target Center, Kuminga had his best performance this preseason, one of the few players who did well against Detroit's size, strength, and ball pressure.

The most encouraging part of Kuminga's game was that he succeeded in many of the areas that were cause for concern. Kuminga did not dominate the ball or cause spacing issues for the rest of the offense. Instead, he attacked an often-shifting defense and made the opponent pay for ignoring him on the perimeter.

Kuminga found ways to be productive offensively in several different situations. He hit a midrange shot as a pick-and-roll release valve, fought for offensive rebounds, made plays as both a scorer and a passer in transition, and cut back door to the basket when his defender left to double-team a teammate.

There were very few, if any, ill-advised shots for Kuminga. He moved the ball well and made quick decisions the whole game. He knocked down two of his three three-pointers, which was incredibly encouraging, given that the ability to space the floor would be valuable next to Rudy Gobert.

Kuminga's role in the Wolves' offense will be similar to that of Jaden McDaniels, who has been thriving in Minnesota's new-look starting lineup. With opposing defenses focused on slowing LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards, both Kuminga and McDaniels are set to see numerous matchups against lesser defenders.

McDaniels has shown an ability to pick his spots offensively without dominating the ball. Kuminga will need to replicate that offensive style, often needing to wait for a mismatch to come his way without becoming passive off the ball.

"Just being aggressive. Exploiting the mismatches," Edwards said of Kuminga's performance against the Pistons. "They can’t really guard him. They tried to put the worst defenders on him. Just trying to give it to him and play in space."

Kuminga has said and done all of the right things since coming to Minnesota. He knows that the way for him to get a long-term contract from the Timberwolves or elsewhere will come from Kuminga positively contributing to a winning Wolves team rather than chasing individual numbers.

The real test for Kuminga will come once the regular season begins next week. It's easy to sacrifice when the games don't count and the statistics get thrown out. Kuminga will almost certainly start every night for the Wolves, but how will he react when Chris Finch decides to close with a lineup that does not include him?

That is when the rubber will meet the road for Kuminga and the Timberwolves. When adversity hits and the incentives for each side don't perfectly align, will Kuminga continue to fit in with what the Wolves need, or will he look to call his own number?

If the preseason is any indication, Kuminga is ready to give the Wolves exactly what they need. They need defense and rebounding from the power forward position, along with someone who cannot be completely ignored on the offensive end.

Timberwolves players and coaches have spoken highly of the player they call "JK." He has been a good match for Minnesota's shifted vibes. From the front office's perspective, Kuminga has been exactly the player they expected to get when they heavily recruited him this summer.

Kuminga joins a long line of Tim Connelly decisions that have been widely panned, most notably the trade for Rudy Gobert. Like many of those moves, Connelly often gets the last laugh, and through five games of the preseason, that appears to be playing out again.

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