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As the newest member of the Minnesota Timberwolves, young swingman Jonathan Kuminga couldn’t be more excited about his basketball future. After a difficult parting with the Warriors, Kuminga had some tough decisions to make this summer, but he would say it worked out for the best with a two-year, $12.4 million deal to join Anthony Edwards and his rising young team. Thursday evening marked Kuminga’s introductory press conference with the organization, where he answered all sorts of questions relating to his free-agent process and expectations for the future. Notably, he also spoke about teaming up with LaMelo Ball, someone he called his best passing teammate ever (yes, even over Curry). “I think his ability to pass the ball, I was watching him work out yesterday and I was watching him and the way he can pass the ball, it’s incredible,” said Kuminga. “I’ve played with so many point guards in my career, but I’ve never played with anybody that can pass as good as LaMelo. I’m looking forward to it; I’m excited.” In Kuminga’s defense, Ball is famously skilled offensively with career averages of 20.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game on 41.8% shooting. While he often likes to get flashy with the ball, he’s undeniably elite as a playmaker and passer, opening up the floor for teammates and adding a layer of flexibility to the rotation. To claim that Ball is a better passer than Curry might sound like blasphemy, but the stats back it up. Curry averages 24.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game for his career, falling short of even Ball’s passing numbers. More so than LaMelo, Curry is much more of a scorer, and he’s always had teammates to help him run the offense. Regardless of your own take on the matter, success for the Timberwolves isn’t tied only to the backcourt. At center, Kuminga knows what Rudy Gobert brings to the table, and he’s excited to play with someone who can make such a massive impact defensively. “I can be myself on defense; I can be aggressive, because I know I have a shot blocker, and he’s done it so many times,” Kuminga said. “It’s somebody that I’m going to learn how he plays, and he’s going to learn how I guard… I think things are going to be way easy for me, and for him… it’s going to be fun, I can’t wait to learn from him.” With averages of 10.9 points, 11.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.8 steals, and 1.6 blocks per game last season, Rudy Gobert has been essential to the Wolves’ success, and Kuminga is already thinking about ways to maximize their chemistry on the court. It could take time to build that chemistry, but there are already positive signs that they will work well together. In the end, only time will tell how we can judge Kuminga’s Minnesota tenure, but a lot is riding on the upcoming season. With a $6.3 million player option for 2027-28, he could opt out by next summer if things don’t go according to plan. Fortunately, he’s feeling confident in the chances of success, and the vibes couldn’t be better heading into the new season.