Jonathan Kuminga agrees to two-year deal with Timberwolves

So much for the Lakers.

Jonathan Kuminga has agreed to a two-year, $13 million contract with the Timberwolves, agent Aaron Turner told ESPN. The deal includes a player option.

That ends one of the NBA’s longer-running late-summer free agency sagas, with Kuminga choosing Minnesota after the Lakers had also emerged as a serious possibility.

Turns out the Timberwolves’ recruiting pitch worked.

Per ESPN, Minnesota had been aggressively pursuing Kuminga for roughly the past month, offering its taxpayer mid-level exception and, perhaps more importantly, a significant role. Anthony Edwards was heavily involved in recruiting Kuminga, while president of basketball operations Tim Connelly traveled to Miami for a four-hour meeting with him earlier this month.

Kuminga also had productive conversations with coach Chris Finch, ESPN reported.

Now, he’s expected to start alongside Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert.

That’s quite a lineup.

Kuminga, 23, had reportedly preferred the Lakers at one point, but getting him to Los Angeles required a sign-and-trade involving the Hawks and a contract of at least three years. Minnesota’s path was considerably cleaner.

The money isn’t overwhelming, either. At $13 million over two years with an escape hatch, Kuminga gets his opportunity without the Timberwolves making a massive financial commitment.

Minnesota gets another young, athletic forward for a team that already considers itself a Western Conference contender.

After weeks of rumors, hypothetical trades and enough Kuminga updates to last until Christmas, we finally have an actual destination.

And no, it’s not the Lakers.