Jonathan Kuminga is embracing a team-first role with the Minnesota Timberwolves after joining the franchise during the offseason, emphasizing defense, communication and collective success during his first week of training camp.
“I think it’s going pretty well,” Kuminga said Saturday when asked about his adjustment to Minnesota. “I’m adapting pretty much everything for my teammates, my coaches, and everyone on the staff.”
The former Golden State Warriors forward said Minnesota has not asked him to completely change his game. Instead, the focus has been on using his experience to make better decisions.
“I don’t think they asked me to do anything else that I haven’t done or I don’t know how to do,” Kuminga said. “Just tell them just be you, the best version of you. To rebound more, just playing defense, be more aggressive, and small things like that.”
Kuminga has also begun taking on a more vocal role with his new teammates. He said his priority is making himself comfortable enough to communicate while also remaining open to learning from others.
“I think I’m trying to be as vocal as I can so everybody could feel comfortable with me,” Kuminga said. “Me being more comfortable just telling anybody certain stuff.”
He added that communication is a two-way process.
“I’m exploring. So, I’m giving and I’m receiving all the knowledge that I get from the rest of my teammates and the little bit that I know, I go out there and try to share,” Kuminga said.
Defensively, Kuminga believes Minnesota’s new-look group will improve as the players accumulate more time together.
“The more we play together, the more we get more reps, I think we all will know what this person like, what this person like, how to guard certain people,” he said.
Kuminga stressed that communication will be critical to making the Timberwolves’ defensive pieces work together.
“That comes to that communication and me being involved, talking, and just being a sponge, listening to the rest of my guys,” he said. “I think we’re going to be pretty good on our end.”
Kuminga also praised head coach Chris Finch for the way he has communicated during his first week with the team.
“It’s been real great,” Kuminga said. “He’ll express himself. He’ll put you on his side. He’ll listen to you and you’re going to listen to him because he’s trying to explain to you things.”
The forward also said his relationship with Rudy Gobert has benefited from time spent together away from the court.
“We got some reps together. We have that bond off the court. That kind of translates on the court,” Kuminga said.
Kuminga believes preseason games will be important for Minnesota as it builds chemistry around Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Ayo Dosunmu and the rest of the new-look roster.
“I think it’s really important for all of us, from the top to the bottom guy,” he said. “That’s how we get to know each other. That’s how we create that team chemistry.”
For Kuminga, however, individual numbers are secondary to what Minnesota accomplishes collectively.
“I think just us collectively gain where we need to get, and that will come with us winning more games,” he said. “Us all being impactful to this game of basketball and helping each other.”
He summed up his definition of success simply: “That’s a success to me. And a very successful season to all of us.”
Kuminga averaged 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 36 games split between Golden State and Atlanta last season. He joined Minnesota on a two-year, $12.4 million deal with a player option for the second season after the Timberwolves finished 49-33 and reached the Western Conference semifinals.
