The Wolves have finally found their starting power forward in Jonathan Kuminga. This signing answers a few things for a Timberwolves roster that had a cloudy picture in the starting lineup and on the bench.

It also helps cement the Wolves' pecking order and gives them, at minimum, seven-starting caliber players going into the season—which is crucial for a hopeful contender.

Timberwolves have good idea of starters, bench, and plan of attack now with Kuminga in the fold

With Kuminga in Minnesota, the starting lineup is clear. LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards in the backcourt. Jaden McDaniels remains as the small forward and Kuminga will join Rudy Gobert in the post.

At first glance, the starting lineup will bring a different kind of size and speed to the Wolves. Edwards at 6’5" will be the smallest player, at least by height. Ball and Kuminga both come in at 6’7", McDaniels at 6’10" and Gobert at 7’1". 

The theoretical starters will be a handful for opposing teams, as they're four players that can switch and guard anything from point guards to forwards, anchored by Gobert inside. The length of the starters should allow them to jump passing lanes, contest shots, and the speed to rotate and scramble.

Defensively, the addition makes perfect sense in adding the hyper-athletic Kuminga to a group that lacked the ability to move as freely last season. In regards to ball this creates an infrastructure around him where all four starters playing along side him have proven to be above average defenders in their career. A fact that should help ease Ball into a defensive system that wont require him to guard any of the opposing teams top players. 

Offensively, Kuminga fits well with a starting group that won't have a lot of shot volume to spare. Kuminga over his five-year career has averaged just 9.3 shot attempts per game. That volume would have finished seventh on the 2025-26 Wolves.

The lack of demand for shot attempts should allow the Wolves offense to blend the play of Ball and Edwards together while simultaneously increasing McDaniels' role. In theory, if Kuminga gets near his average shots per game and Gobert continues to get seven shots per contest, that will allow the Wolves to have a clear hierarchy in the offensive starting lineup.

His low shot volume is important for the Wolves, but how he scores is even more notable. Of his 9.4 shots per game last season 2.9 of them were from three-point range and 4.9 of those shots were within nine feet of the basket. Meaning 83.5% of his shots are either from three point range or considered close to the basket. This suggests that his role with the Wolves will likely consist of cutting and spacing off the ball.

The signing also solves most of the bench depth issues for the Wolves. Ayo Dosunmu slides to the first guard off the bench as opposed to being involved in a smaller starting lineup. Bones Hyland remains the backup point guard.

Joan Beringer now doesn’t need to play out of position and can be the main back up center. This leaves Terrence Shannon Jr, Josh Green, Jaylen Clark and Trey Lyles to battle it out over time for the ninth man in the rotation job.

The signing of Kuminga solves the power forward mystery. It also creates a cleaner pecking order for the rotation and the starting lineup. With the clearer roles also comes a lineup that should make more sense. Kuminga being a low-usage weapon but having upside, plus the length and speed he presents defensively, adds to an already dangerous team. 

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