Two weeks ago, Lakers fans were quoting Kobe Bryant back at Jonathan Kuminga after he snubbed Los Angeles for a two-year deal in Minnesota. Now, in his very first press conference as a Timberwolf, Kuminga has managed to stir up a second controversy, and this time, the target isn’t the Lakers front office. It’s Stephen Curry, the franchise cornerstone he spent four and a half seasons playing alongside in Golden State.

During his introductory press conference with the Timberwolves this week, Kuminga was asked what excites him most about playing alongside newly acquired guard LaMelo Ball. His answer, relayed by Timberwolves reporter Andrew Dukowitz, raised eyebrows back in the Bay Area. 

“I think his ability of passing the ball,” Kuminga said. “I was watching him work out yesterday, I was watching him do certain things, and just the way he passes the ball, it’s incredible.”

Kuminga didn’t stop there. “I’ve played with so many point guards in my career, but I’ve never played with somebody that could pass as good as LaMelo,” he continued. “I think I’m looking forward to it, and I’m excited.”

Jonathan Kuminga spent his first four and a half NBA seasons sharing a locker room with Curry. He was long regarded as one of the league’s most gifted passers before being traded to the Atlanta Hawks last season and eventually signing with Minnesota as a free agent.

It led to a frenzy on social media. League insider Brett Siegel tweeted, “Seems like Chris Paul and Steph Curry are terrible passers. Weird,” refencing two legendary passers Kuminga has played alongside.

Ball actually holds a higher career assists average than Curry, 7.3 to 6.3. And his highlight-reel vision has its own following across the league. Still, the timing made it hard to separate from Kuminga’s exit from Golden State, a partnership that ended without a contract extension and sent him bouncing from the Warriors to the Hawks before he landed in Minnesota.

Kuminga turned down a reported three-year, $36 million offer from the Lakers. Instead, he signed a two-year, $12.4 million deal with Minnesota, and he made clear the decision wasn’t close for him. “Speaking of my family, I left everything to God,” Kuminga said. “I pray over this, ask God to guide me and give me the best decision, and I think this was the best decision for me. I just want to go to a winning culture, and I think this was one of the best winning cultures I could have chosen out of all the options.”

Kuminga added that conversations spanning the front office, coaching staff and players sealed the decision. He said that the vibe in Minnesota was exactly what he’d been searching for.

It didn’t hurt that Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards reportedly played a personal role in recruiting him. The move stung Lakers fans partly because of Kuminga’s own history; he’d previously spoken openly about admiring Kobe Bryant, prompting some to dig up Bryant’s old line about not chasing free agents who need convincing to wear the purple and gold.