Pros and Cons of the Timberwolves' Kuminga-Gobert Frontcourt

At the beginning of the offseason, the Timberwolves completely reoriented their roster. They traded Julius Randle to the Nets and sent Naz Reid to the Hornets for LaMelo Ball.

To round out their summer, the Wolves convinced Jonathan Kuminga to sign a two-year, $12.4 million deal to come to Minnesota and start next to Rudy Gobert in the frontcourt. The Wolves adding Kuminga, given their lack of a quality power forward alternative, is undoubtedly a good bet for Minnesota to make.

Adding Kuminga, given their lack of a quality PF alternative, is undoubtedly a good bet for Minnesota to make. Kuminga balances the starting lineup and the rest of the Timberwolves' rotation and allows players like Ayo Dosunmu to move back to a sixth-man role.

Kuminga's addition also brings up potential downsides and questions about whether minutes with both him and Gobert on the court will go well.

There are both positives and negatives that come along with the pairing of Kuminga and Gobert. Which side of that ends up standing out above the other will play a huge role in the success or failure of the Timberwolves' upcoming season.

Pro: Size and athleticism

Before bringing in Kuminga, the Wolves were looking at starting Dosunmu, Terrence Shannon Jr., or another undersized player who would have caused issues with both defense and rebounding, even with Gobert at center as one of the best players in the NBA in both of those categories.

Now, with those players rounding out the Timberwolves' bench, Kuminga brings a combination of size and athleticism that the Wolves need, with the departure of Randle and Reid. The Wolves will still play smaller than last season, as Kuminga is two inches shorter and 25 pounds lighter than Randle, but they replace that with speed and verticality.

Kuminga and Gobert, as a frontcourt pair, bring both size, wingspan, and athleticism that should perform well on both sides of the court. The defensive side, with Gobert especially, is obvious, but Kuminga's speed should allow the Wolves to play up-tempo on offense more often than they have in the past.

The past few Timberwolves teams have been at their best when they utilize athleticism and physicality to overwhelm opponents. With Kuminga slotting in next to Gobert in the starting lineup, that will likely be the case again next season.

Con: Floor spacing

The key for any power forward next to Gobert is their ability to stretch the floor on offense. Given Gobert's limited skill set on that end of the floor, it becomes paramount that the other players on the court with him can space the floor to keep proper spacing within the offense.

Kuminga's three-point shot has been inconsistent throughout his NBA career. While he is far from a total non-shooter to the degree that Gobert is, Kuminga's career 33.2% from beyond the arc does not inspire confidence in his ability to space the floor next to Gobert.