After seemingly endless rumors and speculation, Jonathan Kuminga finally made his decision in NBA free agency, choosing the Minnesota Timberwolves over the Los Angeles Lakers, who many believed were the favorite to sign the 23-year-old forward.
It was a long, drawn-out process that grew more complicated along the way, as the Lakers had to pull off a sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks to land the athletic wing.
In the end, Kuminga surprised everyone by joining forces with Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball in Minnesota, but the saga didn’t end without a subtle shot at the Lakers, which was a little head-scratching.
Jonathan Kuminga Chose Timberwolves Over Lakers for ‘Winning Culture’
During his introductory press conference for the Timberwolves, Kuminga was asked why he chose the Timberwolves over the options he had in NBA free agency, which was basically asking why Minnesota was chosen over the Lakers.
Kuminga gave an answer that’s a bit perplexing.
“I just wanted to go to a winning culture, and I think this was the best winning culture I could have chose out of all the options,” Kuminga said of his decision.
It’s an interesting choice to say he picked the Timberwolves over the Lakers or any other team because of the “winning culture” in Minnesota, considering that franchise hasn’t won a single title in its history, and the fact that Los Angeles has won the second-most titles in NBA history with 17.
Ironically enough, five of those titles were actually won in Minneapolis, with Lakers legend George Mikan leading the way.
Lakers May Have Dodged a Bullet By Not Signing Kuminga
Although on paper, Kuminga seemed like the right choice for the Lakers, as he’d easily slip into the starting lineup right away with Luka Doncic and address a need, these quotes from him might be pretty telling in terms of where his head is at ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
Sep 25, 2025; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, left, speaks during a press conference to preview the 2025-26 season at UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
One major red flag for Kuminga is that the Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks didn’t want him on their teams long-term. It’s not to stay; a change of scenery can alter how a player is perceived, but two teams giving up on a 23-year-old might be a sign that a player can be a problem.
Who Becomes the Lakers’ Starter After Jonathan Kuminga Fiasco?
The biggest question heading into Lakers training camp will be the new starting lineup, with three of the team’s starters from last year’s squad no longer on the team.
There’s no question that Walker Kessler, as the center position locked up, and there’s a good chance fellow newcomer Quentin Grimes is a starter as well, but the power forward position is a question mark.
Personally, I don’t think the Lakers can go wrong with Sandro Mamukelashvili as the starter at the four spot to begin the season. He seems more than capable and has shown flashes of his potential this summer while playing for his home country, Georgia, in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers.
Obviously, there are other options in the current squad as well, with a more defensive focus, like Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams. Still, Mamukelashvili seems like the smart move right now.
Only time will tell where head coach JJ Redick goes with this decision, but the upcoming NBA preseason will be interesting, to say the least, for the new-look Lakers.
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