Jonathan Kuminga‘s trade to the Atlanta Hawks was one of the landmark moves before this year’s trade deadline. After an extended period of dissatisfaction and disappointment with the Golden State Warriors, the young forward finally gained an opportunity to cultivate his talents with a new team.
Even before he was traded, Jonathan Kuminga was widely regarded as one of the most talented young players in the NBA. While boasting tremendous athleticism and physical tools, Kuminga possessed innate potential and scoring instincts that could propel him to stardom.
While Golden State acknowledged this, the Hawks have reaped the benefits by giving him a significant role in the rotation. With a perfect 8-0 record with Jonathan Kuminga on the floor, the Hawks look virtually unstoppable whenever he has played.
On his debut, coming off the bench, Kuminga posted a scintillating performance of 27 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in under 25 minutes of playing time. With the team logging a 14-5 record since his arrival, including an iconic 11-game winning streak that ended earlier last week, the forward has been nothing short of impactful.
In exchange for Jonathan Kuminga, the Golden State Warriors received a versatile big man in Kristaps Porzingis, one who could become a key roster piece moving forward. However, considering Porzingis’ inconsistent availability and the team’s 34-38 record (11th in the West), it can be argued that the Dubs lost this deal.
The Hawks Look Like A Playoff Team With Jonathan Kuminga
The Hawks have enjoyed a bit of a resurgence over the last month. Although Atlanta was languishing in the play-in bracket after the Trae Young trade, Jalen Johnson‘s rise and Jonathan Kuminga’s subsequent arrival effectively transformed the Hawks into a convincing playoff team.
Johnson’s versatility and CJ McCollum‘s scoring ability already made Atlanta threatening. Now, with Kuminga’s overall upside, the Hawks have become a more potent offensive unit. With an offensive rating of 121.4 in the last 10 games (6th in the NBA), Atlanta seems geared for success.
It is worth noting that Kuminga has had some poor performances since joining, including three single-digit scoring nights. Still, the 24-year-old is averaging 13.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 52.2% from the field and 52.4% from three-point range.
Thanks to their 11-game winning streak, the Hawks significantly improved upon their record this season. Following the loss to the Rockets, Atlanta added two more wins, improving to 40-32 for the season.
Currently, the sixth-ranked Hawks are not only set to secure a playoff berth, but could also seek to climb the Eastern Conference ladder. With only half a game separating them from the fifth-ranked Toronto Raptors, the Hawks could look to solidify their status as a playoff team.
With only 10 games left in the season, Atlanta could be on the verge of completing an impressive turnaround. Given how important Jonathan Kuminga will be in ensuring things go according to plan, Atlanta will hope their star forward remains healthy.
