The Atlanta Hawks traded Kristaps Porziņģis for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield before the 2026 NBA trade deadline. Porziņģis only played 17 games for Atlanta, crippling its center depth, due to Achilles tendinitis and a recurring illness. He also becomes a free agent this summer, so Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh wanted to get value in case the star center walked.
Three games into Kuminga’s Hawks tenure, it certainly looks like Saleh made the right decision. Porziņģis continues to miss games because of illness, and Kuminga is off to a red-hot start in Atlanta.
Jonathan Kuminga Springs Into Action In A Hawks Uniform
Kuminga’s Performance With The Hawks
Kuminga missed the first six games of his Hawks career due to a knee injury he suffered on Jan. 22. He had not played in over a month since making his Atlanta debut on Feb. 24, but Kuminga exhibited no signs of rust after a lengthy absence.
The 23-year-old averages 21.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.7 steals in 26.7 minutes across his three Hawks games. He shoots a blistering-hot 67.7% from the field and 55.6% from beyond the arc on 3.0 attempts per game. As much as Atlanta fans want these efficiency numbers to hold, they will not. However, it should not take away from the fact that Kuminga’s impressive start gives them a glimpse into a possible franchise-building block moving forward.
The Hawks are 3-0 with Kuminga in the lineup and in the midst of a four-game win streak. They reached the .500 mark for the first time since Dec. 21 after blowing out the Portland Trail Blazers on March 1. Kuminga totaled 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting with seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals. He threw down two highlight reel dunks in the fourth quarter that ignited the State Farm Arena crowd.
Windmill went crazy 😱 pic.twitter.com/CXCqX6h9iq
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) March 2, 2026
Thriving With The Hawks
Kuminga’s speed, athleticism, strength, and ability to put the ball on the floor fit right into the Hawks’ fast-paced offense. They rank third in pace at 102.98. Atlanta has scored 24 fastbreak points in each of its last three games, and Kuming has certainly been a beneficiary of those easy transition looks.
Head coach Quin Snyder encourages his players to get to the rim, free-throw line, and let it fly from deep, staying away from long 2-point attempts. Through three games, Kuminga’s scoring profile matches these efficient shot attempts. The 2022 NBA champion has racked up 32 points in the paint, 17 points from the free-throw line, 15 points on threes, and zero points from non-paint 2-point range. Kuminga did not fit head coach Steve Kerr’s offensive system on the Golden State Warriors, but so far, he is thriving under Snyder.
Kuminga Gives Hawks Another Athletic Slasher Other Than Jalen Johnson
Jalen Johnson consistently gets downhill against opposing defenses. This forces them to collapse, or Johnson, more often than not, finishes with authority above the rim. Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker drive into the paint often, but they cannot finish through contact. Kuminga’s arrival gives Atlanta another on-ball physical, athletic slasher next to its All-Star forward.
Johnson and Kuminga shared the court for the first time together against Portland. Johnson injured his hip flexor two games prior, which resulted in Kuminga strictly playing at power forward. Snyder paired the two scoring forwards with three shooters to maximize the offensive spacing to start the second quarter against the Trail Blazers. Atlanta responded by starting the frame 11-of-16 from the field and 3-of-4 from deep. This stretch showed the strong offensive potential for Kuminga-Johnson lineups moving forward.
Featured Image: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
