Two weeks ago, Lakers fans were quoting Kobe Bryant at Jonathan Kuminga after he snubbed Los Angeles for a two-year deal in Minnesota. Now, in his first press conference as a Timberwolf, Kuminga has stirred up a second controversy, and this time, the target isn’t the Lakers’ front office. All of a sudden, it is Stephen Curry, the Bay Area cornerstone he spent four and a half seasons playing alongside, and who also rooted for his success after he left the Warriors.

Kuminga was simply asked what excites him most about playing alongside newly acquired guard LaMelo Ball. Now, most of his answer is very justifiable, but the way he concluded it raised eyebrows back in the Bay Area.

“I think his ability of passing the ball,” Kuminga said (via Timberwolves reporter Andrew Dukowitz). “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.

“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. I’m looking forward to it, and I’m excited.”

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

So, does Kuminga’s statement really make sense here?

On paper, Ball has a higher career assists average than Curry: 7.3 to 6.3. But there’s logic to it. During the 2013-14 season, the Warriors let Curry play like a traditional point guard in pick-and-rolls. He had 8.5 assists per game that year. But since then, the veteran has often been double-teamed during plays.

That has given the Warriors a four-on-three advantage, and Curry turns out to be the one making the play just before the actual assist. So, a lower assists average doesn’t necessarily mean Curry’s effectiveness has dropped. Steve Kerr has just needed to find a better way to use his franchise star without hitting a roadblock.

LaMelo Ball, on the other hand, is a fantastic pick-and-roll player. This setup puts him in a better position to assist, and he tends to elevate everyone around him. The Charlotte Hornets’ offense was 11.6 points per 100 possessions better with Ball on the court, per Cleaning the Glass. Kon Knueppel and Miles Bridges also shot much more efficiently with Ball running the show.

But if we compare the two, Curry still terrorizes defenses more, with a shooting clip of 47.1 percent from the field and 42.2 percent from three-point range. Meanwhile, Ball shoots 41.8 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from deep.

Although Kuminga did not name Curry, the timing of his statement makes it difficult to separate his exit from Golden State, a partnership that ended badly without a contract extension and sent him from the Dubs to the Hawks before he landed in Minnesota. But many believed Curry and Kuminga had mutual respect.

Earlier this year, in May, when Atlanta played Golden State, Kuminga revealed he spent time “just checking in” with Curry. When Kuminga left the Warriors, many criticized him, but Curry made it clear that he’ll be “a stud” for the Hawks. It turned out to be true: the youngster averaged 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game from the bench, with even better postseason numbers.

After his stint in Atlanta was over, though, 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.

“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 personal conversations with the front office and coaches sealed the decision. He said the vibe in Minnesota was exactly what he’d been searching for. It’s a massive win for the Timberwolves, now with a lineup that includes Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, Ball and Kuminga. They already appear to have a strong bond before even playing a game.

“Them wanting me to be here, it felt real,” Kuminga said. “They were very genuine people, and these are people you could sit down with and have a conversation. A lot of people, you can’t sit down with and have an actual conversation with about certain things, and I think that’s when I felt the vibe, including Ant. Me and him sat on the phone and spoke about certain things, and that just made me feel very comfortable.”

Kuminga also said he hopes to build a long-term relationship with the Timberwolves, despite the short-term deal and player option. Although it is a lower salary, the 23-year-old also chose Minnesota because it gives him control over his own future.

On the other hand, the move stung Lakers fans, in part because of Kuminga’s history. In 2021, he’d spoken openly about admiring and looking up to Kobe Bryant, prompting some to dig up Bryant’s old line, which read, “If I need to convince you to come here, to carry that legacy forward, then you ain’t the one to be it.”