Jonathan Kuminga reportedly agrees to join Minnesota on a two-year, $13 million deal

After intense recruiting from Anthony Edwards and others, Kuminga has agreed to join the Timberwolves on a two-year, $13 million contract, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN . Kuminga stepped into the taxpayer mid-level exception the Timberwolves still had available.

This is a recruiting coup for the Timberwolves, who put on a full-court press in the last month, Charania reported. That included Edwards and other players, as well as team president Tim Connelly, who reportedly had a four-hour meeting with him. Kuminga is expected to step into the starting lineup at the three next to LaMelo Ball , Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert .

The Lakers had been pursuing Kuminga to become a starter next to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves , and they were trying to work out a sign-and-trade with Atlanta , but that would have required Kuminga to sign at least a three-year contract instead of the two in Minnesota . Plus, the Lakers and Hawks struggled to come close to a trade that worked for both sides for a variety of reasons (such as the Hawks wanting picks but not taking on players).