The Minnesota Timberwolves took a huge swing by trading for Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball earlier in the offseason, and they could be about to double down on one major concern if they also land former Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga in free agency.
The Timberwolves have emerged as a likely suitor for Kuminga in recent days, with the potential that the former Warrior takes a cheap one-year contract behind the promise of a major role alongside Ball and franchise superstar Anthony Edwards.
Timberwolves risk doubling down on Ball concern with Kuminga move
The major concern with the Ball addition is his lack of impact on winning through the first six years of his career. The former third overall pick is yet to appear in a single playoff game, while he holds a negative career net rating.
Ball was certainly a leading part in Charlotte's success last season, but that still failed to materialize into a playoff berth and it undoubtedly played a role in the front office's decision to sell high on the 25-year-old.
The Timberwolves would be doubling down on that concern if they also acquire Kuminga and have him slot into the starting power forward role vacated by the departures of Julius Randle and Naz Reid. Suddenly Minnesota would have two very productive young players in primary roles, yet ones whose efficiency and overall impact on winning has been questioned in recent years.
Kuminga holds a career negative on-off net rating, and despite his contributions to a pair of playoff victories for the Atlanta Hawks in April, his continued availability in free agency says a lot about his value around the league nearing the end of August.
Timberwolves would be taking significant risk with Jonathan Kuminga
On the surface, signing Kuminga to a contract potentially as low as the minimum would be good value for the Timberwolves based on his talent and upside. However, that doesn't mean it wouldn't come with risk, particularly if the former seventh overall pick is thrust into a big role.
This is a team who've made two Conference Finals and a second-round appearance in the last three years. They can't afford to go backwards with a 25-year-old Edwards entering his prime, yet there's at least the threat of that by adding both Ball and Kuminga.
It's a high risk-high reward decision. Signing Kuminga on top of acquiring Ball would elevate the Timberwolves' ceiling as they try to compete with the likes of the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, while simultaneously increasing the chances of disaster to the point Edwards could consider his future.
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