The Jonathan Kuminga sweepstakes appeared to give the Lakers everything they needed to close the deal. More money, an extra year, and, reportedly, a starting role were all on the table. Yet when Shams Charania revealed where the former Warriors forward had chosen to continue his career, fans were left staring at a decision that quickly turned Rob Pelinka into the center of another brutal online reaction.
According to Charania, Kuminga agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves that includes a player option. The 23-year-old is also expected to start alongside Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels, and Rudy Gobert.
But the destination was only part of the surprise.
The insider reported that Jonathan Kuminga chose Minnesota over offers from the Lakers, Bulls, and Trail Blazers. The LA side had reportedly offered him a similar starting opportunity along with more than $12 million annually over three years. Instead, Kuminga accepted the shorter Minnesota deal. He prioritized greater control over his future.
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In doing so, he willingly walked away from roughly $23 million in additional earnings, a sacrifice that made his choice all the more striking.
The move carries an obvious sting for the Lakers. Jonathan Kuminga had emerged as an intriguing target for LA, particularly because of his athleticism and also his ability to defend. It’s something the Lakers lacked in the starting role.
A starting role alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves could have given him a chance to reset his career on one of the league’s biggest stages.
Instead, Minnesota won the race.
And fans didn’t take that outcome quietly.
The Jonathan Kuminga deal forces fans to clown the LakersThe reaction on social media centered on the uncomfortable details of Kuminga’s choice. One fan summed up the situation bluntly: “More money, an extra year, and a starting job in LA. Kuminga said no anyway. Getting out-recruited by Minnesota is a brutal look for Rob Pelinka.”
Another pointed to how badly many Lakers supporters had wanted the forward in the first place, writing, “lol laker fans were begging for him.”
The frustration also produced a familiar prediction. After months of interest in Jonathan Kuminga, one user joked, “Now Lakers are gonna call him trash anyways after months of wanting him.”
For Minnesota supporters and rival fans, however, the decision carried different meaning. “Kuminga picked the Wolves and Minnesota over LA. We used to pray for times like this,” one fan wrote, highlighting just how unusual it still feels to see a player choose the Wolves over the Lakers despite a reportedly more lucrative offer.
The harshest reaction came from a Lakers supporter who turned directly toward the organization’s leadership: “This is a monumental f***ing embarrassment for my Lakers. I am sick, sick, SICK of Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss.”
The posts kept coming. Across platforms, Pelinka’s name became a recurring punchline, mocked not just for losing Kuminga but for losing him to a team offering less money. For a front office already under scrutiny, the online pile-on was swift and personal.
That reaction may be extreme, but it captures why Jonathan Kuminga’s decision generated such attention. This was not simply a case of the Lakers losing a player to a bigger contract elsewhere. According to the reported terms, LA offered more money and a longer commitment while also presenting a similar opportunity in the starting lineup.
JK still chose Minnesota.
His decision does not automatically make the Wolves a better franchise or prove that the Lakers failed in every aspect of their pursuit. Still, the optics are difficult for LA. And for Rob Pelinka, the court of public opinion had already delivered its verdict – mockery, swift and loud.
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