Agent Zero can’t defend Jonathan Kuminga anymore after all those reports about the young forward preferring the Lakers proved false. Kuminga’s decision to sign with the Minnesota Timberwolves has Gilbert Arenas baffled. Not just because he’s back on the Los Angeles Lakers bandwagon. The two-year, $12.4 million deal, bypassing a lucrative three-year offer from the Los Angeles Lakers valued at over $12 million annually, has made it an annual ritual for Arenas to question JK’s representation.
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Taking to social media, Arenas blasted Kuminga and his agent for leaving tens of millions on the table to take a low-cost, short-term contract after a prolonged free agency. In a viral video post, the 3x All-Star-turned-podcaster compared the 23-year-old wing’s contract to a minor post-NBA gig deal.
“Bro, you just signed a podcast deal. This is crazy. How does your contract keep getting worse? You’re just balling in Atlanta. You did all this waiting. All this, we over here fight for you, for you to sign a Costco Members deal? Two year, 13? Bruh, bruh, bruh. We, Lakers, we got 15 people on their contract making more than this. If we know bro, if we know you was selling a– this slow bro. If you were selling a– this slow bruh, one of the 1980 contracts, 10 years, 10 million, bro, you would have been signed a long time ago. Who is your agent? Oh my God!”
Arenas doubled down in his caption, jokingly offering to bring out a checkbook to recruit Kuminga for his media platform:
“This man Just signed a podcast Deal 🤦🏾♂️👀 Johnathan Kuminga i can make you a better offer (Dont sign) and u do GilsArena with me (Kuminga Arena) #soundsaboutright 💯 🗣️ @playmaker Meet me at his house and bring the check book 🤣🤣”
Arenas just signed with Playmaker himself after a public fallout with Underdog Fantasy and the subsequent breakup of the Gil’s Arena crew. The deal’s value is unknown, but No Chill Gil gives the impression it’s much more than what Kuminga is getting.
After the Atlanta Hawks declined Kuminga’s $24.3 million team option in late June, the young forward became an unrestricted free agent. Despite heavy pursuit and a multi-year $36M+ sign-and-trade offer from Lakers GM Rob Pelinka, Kuminga ultimately agreed to Minnesota’s taxpayer midlevel exception, securing a player option for the second year to regain flexibility ahead of 2027.
Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, confirmed to ESPN that the decision was driven by on-court opportunity rather than immediate financial maximization. On paper, the Lakers had a similar starting opportunity for him, too.
Arenas also screamed, “What kind of amateur representation do you have?” last year when Kuminga held out the entire offseason to sign a subpar two-year, $48 million contract with the Warriors. The forward was traded to the Hawks at the deadline after a turbulent season, and Gil was constantly defending JK from critics by blaming the Warriors.
The cycle just repeated for Arenas, though this move concludes another turbulent free-agency cycle for Kuminga. Now joining Minnesota, Kuminga is betting that a starting role on a Western Conference contender will position him for a far greater payout when he re-enters the market.