According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Minnesota Timberwolves have just signed Jonathan Kuminga to a two-year, $13 million contract. The deal has a player option in the second season. Kuminga will be the Wolves’ starting power forward next season, but Anthony Edwards could be in for a story that Stephen Curry knows well.
The Warriors played through Curry. The Wolves – perhaps to a lesser extent – are going to play through Edwards, with LaMelo Ball as the second option. Part of the reason that Kuminga didn’t work out in Golden State was that he didn’t adapt to Curry Ball. He wanted more touches. More responsibility. Well, he probably still won’t get that in Minnesota.
Kuminga will be important to the Wolves’ success. But the team still runs through Edwards. Not Kuminga, Edwards. Just like it was not Kuminga, Curry. Minnesota, and Edwards, need to watch out for a repeat of history.
Jonathan Kuminga will have to adapt to Anthony Edwards like he failed to adapt to Stephen Curry
The Kuminga era in Golden State was certainly a drama-filled one. One that included trade requests, public statements, and ultimately, a trade to the Atlanta Hawks at the deadline last year.
When Kuminga was in Golden State, the Warriors were doing everything to play around Curry. That was the goal. Curry Ball was their best pathway to winning, and Kuminga needed to fit into that.
But it was early in Kuminga’s career. Slotting into a role-player role alongside Curry wasn’t exactly his ideal scenario, especially as a top-10 pick in the NBA Draft.
It quickly became very obvious that, while Kuminga is a very talented player with a ton of upside, he didn’t love the idea of simply slotting into a role as a supporting case member alongside a star.
The young forward ultimately just wasn’t a great fit with the Warriors, yet after just half a season with the Atlanta Hawks, they decided to let him walk, too.
Well, even though he will definitely be a starter in Minnesota – which is something he always wanted in Golden State – he is still going to have to figure out how to play next to Edwards and Ball.
Just because he’s a starter doesn’t automatically mean the Wolves are going to play through him more. In fact, with how much talent the Wolves have in their starting lineup, they may play through him less than the Warriors did at times.
From Curry Ball to Edwards Ball. Once again, Kuminga has been plopped in a situation where he’s going to have to adapt. And as Curry and the Warriors know, that wasn’t always his strong suit.
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