Hawks GM Talks Trade Deadline Mindset, Jonathan Kuminga

That said, there’s no guarantee any of those players will live up to the hype. Being a top draft prospect doesn’t guarantee they’ll actually be at the pinnacle of the league. There’s plenty evidence of that, Risacher himself providing some of it.

On top of that, the NBA Draft Lottery is unpredictable. Last season, the Wizards (18-64), Utah Jazz (17-65) and Charlotte Hornets (19-63) had the NBA’s three worst records. None of them ended up with a top-three pick.

Zaccharie Risacher’s Utility Matters More Than His Upside

Risacher could end up being even more important to the Hawks than their already mythologized draft pick.

No, he hasn’t matched his pre-draft expectations. He was being compared to Klay Thompson (the Golden State Warriors version, not the Dallas Mavericks version), a player who’s made 40.9% of his career 3s. After 115 games, Risacher’s made 35.8% of his career 3s, making him closer to average than an anomaly. Nevertheless, he’s a 3-and-D wing with a great feel for the game and outstanding defense. His skillset complementing franchise cornerstone Jalen Johnson‘s only makes him that much more useful.

Atlanta’s Most Notable Trade Acquisition This Season Is..

The most notable player that the Hawks acquired this season is Kuminga.

That’s even with Hield, whom Saleh believes will be “good for (their) group,” ranking 15th all-time in made 3s. That’s even with McCollum once forming one-half of one of the NBA’s most lethal backcourts. A victim of circumstance more than anything else, there’s a line of thought that all Kuminga needs is the right opportunity.

Saleh wasn’t on the Warriors’ staff when they drafted the DRC Congo native. In 2021-22, he was Golden State’s basketball strategy/assistant team counsel. However, he had been hired in late September, two months after the 2021 NBA Draft. Nevertheless, he was promoted to Director of Basketball Strategy & Team Counsel the next season. In 2023-24, he was named Vice President of Basketball Strategy & Team Counsel before leaving for Atlanta in May 2024.

As a result, he’s still quite familiar with Kuminga. “Obviously, I know JK really well,” Saleh says (h/t Kevin Chouinard of Hawks.com). “I was there for, I think, his first three years.”

What Onsi Saleh Sees In Jonathan Kuminga

“For us, it made sense given our timeline and what we’re trying to do,” Saleh explains of the decision to trade for Kuminga.

“I think a 23-year-old with a ton of potential — I think the things that he helps us with are his rim pressure that he puts on. He’s a phenomenal athlete. He’s a good rebounder. I think in transition, he could be absolutely phenomenal. And he adds size at the wing position if we ever need to add another defender to guard one of these bigger wings in the league. So, I’m really excited about Jonathan.”

As Saleh notes, Kuminga is brimming with potential.

Similar to the prototypical wings from the 1990s and 2000s, he’s more athletic than refined. Therefore, he’s primarily an attacking ball-handler at 6-foot-7 and 225 pounds. However, he can score from all three levels and has shown playmaking upside. At the defensive end, he’s often been tasked with guarding the top wings from other teams but can regularly guard 1-4. His off-ball awareness isn’t a strength but he does routinely make solid rotation decisions.

Statistically speaking, it’s worth noting that he averages 20.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game when playing 30+ minutes.

Of course, his ceiling will be determined by how much he polishes his tool kit. As far as his fit in Atlanta, he may not be a starter until he does so. Simply put, the spacing could get too clunky with those two sharing the court with Dyson Daniels. However, the Hawks have multiple stretch-fives, which makes it easier to see him starting.