The Atlanta Hawks are the hottest team in the NBA right now, winning their last 11 games straight and heading into a crucial clash against the Houston Rockets tonight. The Hawks have a clean injury report for this game, meaning winter acquisition Jonathan Kuminga is in line to make his seventh appearance since joining the franchise.
The Hawks are undefeated in games Kuminga has played this season, with the 23-year-old forward averaging 14.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists since joining the team. He’s already looking more comfortable in the Hawks’ offense than he did in Golden State’s, which is a great sign of how he’s fitting into the franchise. He’s fitting in great next to star forward Jalen Johnson, who is taking a liking to his new teammate.
Johnson was a late first-round pick the same year Kuminga went No. 7 to the Warriors, but now Kuminga is a rotational piece on a franchise led by Johnson. Nonetheless, it seems Jalen is excited by what Kuminga will bring to the roster now that he’s getting more consistent minutes on the court, according to what he told Jake Fischer.
“JK’s just like a dog ready to be unleashed. You can tell just how he’s working out, how he’s approaching his days. He’s ready to go. He’s ready to do what it takes to win. And show the rest of the world that.”
Jonathan Kuminga is a good fit on the Hawks, especially as a stand-in starting forward, given the slow development of former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risascher. Kuminga has always had the potential to be a high-level two-way player, but he looks more motivated to prove that in Atlanta under coach Quin Snyder.
Kuminga is on a $24.3 million team option for next season, so he will need to prove to the Hawks that they should keep him on for next season. In addition, even if the Hawks choose to move on, strong end-of-season performances from Kuminga will help him generate interest from other teams on the open market after a rough few years with Golden State.
Only teams like the Memphis Grizzlies or Brooklyn Nets have the cap space to potentially entice Kuminga over to their side, but the best-case scenario for him would be for the Hawks to decline his option and extend him on a longer deal. This guarantees a long-term contract for Kuminga while ensuring it’s with a franchise that wants to contend like the Hawks.
The former NBA Champion is averaging 12.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists overall on the season. He’s still coming off the bench, but put up an efficient 16 points, five rebounds, and three assists in just 18 minutes of action. If his minutes start ramping up, he is bound to have a greater impact on the red-hot Hawks.
Atlanta is currently using a three-guard starting five with CJ McCollum, Nickeil-Alexander Walker, and Dyson Daniels featuring prominently, but Jonathan Kuminga’s emergence might allow a scorer like McCollum to move to the bench as the Hawks’ starting five looks to be one of the best defensive units in the NBA.
The Hawks are 38-31 so far this season and occupy the No. 6 seed, but they could genuinely challenge the 43-27 Cleveland Cavaliers for the No. 4 seed if their form continues. Their game against the Rockets tonight will be a litmus test on their status as contenders, but if they pull that off with a big game from Jonathan Kuminga, the Hawks will make themselves undeniable.
