Jonathan Kuminga is on his way to Minneapolis.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Minnesota Timberwolves locked down Kuminga on Wednesday with a two-year contract worth $13 million. This signing follows the Hawks’ decision to decline Kuminga’s team option in June, which allowed him to enter free agency following a chaotic departure from the Golden State Warriors last year.
Reports indicate that Kuminga selected the Timberwolves over comparable contract proposals from the Portland Trail Blazers, Chicago Bulls, and Los Angeles Lakers.
Prior to last season’s trade deadline, Kuminga was sent to the Hawks in a swap that brought Kristaps Porziņģis to the Warriors, bringing a close to his turbulent tenure in San Francisco.
After spending a significant portion of the early season on the bench, he allegedly asked for a trade the moment he became eligible for a move. Originally taken by the Warriors as the seventh overall pick in the 2021 draft from the G League, Kuminga participated in just 20 matchups for Golden State last year.
Following the midseason trade, Kuminga went on to feature in 16 contests for Atlanta, contributing 12.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Guided by head coach Quin Snyder, the Hawks posted a 46-36 record and secured a postseason berth, though their playoff run ended abruptly in the opening round.
Prior to the 2025-26 campaign, Kuminga had agreed to a two-year, $46.8 million contract with Golden State that included an opt-out clause for this offseason.
Kuminga’s departure comes right after several new faces joined the Atlanta roster over the last few weeks. Just before the NBA Draft, the Hawks secured forward Aaron Wiggins from the Oklahoma City Thunder by trading away two second-round draft assets.
Atlanta subsequently bolstered their lineup during the draft earlier this summer, drafting guard Kingston Flemings out of Houston (8th pick, 1st round), forward Zuby Ejiofor from St. John’s (23rd pick, 1st round), and North Carolina forward/center Henri Veesaar (52nd pick, 2nd round).
In Minnesota, Kuminga will align with a squad that recorded a 49-33 record last year, marking their fifth consecutive postseason appearance under head coach Chris Finch, despite their eventual elimination in the Western Conference Semifinals. He is set to share the court with franchise star Anthony Edwards and newly acquired playmaker LaMelo Ball.
Although his stints in Golden State and Atlanta did not yield great success, this move offers Kuminga a fresh start and a golden opportunity to rebuild his career.
