Jonathan Kuminga shines in Atlanta Hawks debut

The Hawks acquired Kuminga in a deal that was essentially a swap of salaries, sending Kristaps Porzingis to the Warriors. Porzingis was a highly productive player in Atlanta when he was healthy. The only problem is he absolutely could not stay on the floor. As they say, the best ability is availability, meaning the Hawks essentially got to take a flier on Kuminga’s upside for nothing. If it works, Atlanta has added another young piece to its core — with Kuminga being just 23 years old. If it doesn’t, the Hawks can wipe their hands clean at season’s end.

It wasn’t long ago that the Warriors viewed Kuminga as a vital piece of their future. Disputes over a number of matters, many of which were trivial, led to their divorce. But it’s possible a change of scenery could be exactly what he needed. Kuminga comes with a club option for the 2026–27 season worth $24.3 million. If yesterday was any indication, it won’t be much of a decision for the Hawks to pick that up and begin extension talks in the offseason.