Hawks Trade for Jonathan Kuminga Pays Off With Season-Best Performance in Debut

Jonathan Kuminga has arrived in Atlanta and is off to a roaring start.

The Warriors traded the 23-year-old forward to the Hawks at the trade deadline along with Buddy Hield in exchange for Kristaps Porziņģis. He made his long-awaited debut for Atlanta on Tuesday night and was excellent in his new team’s 119-98 win over the Wizards.

Kuminga came off the bench and played 24 minutes in his Hawks debut. He poured in a game-high 27 points, while hitting 9-of-12 shots from the field, and 3-of-4 from three-point range. He added seven rebounds, four assists and two steals, while logging a +16 for the game.

A knee injury had kept Kuminga out until Tuesday’s debut, and he made up for the time missed. His previous season-high in points was 25 on Oct. 27 with Golden State.

After the game, Kuminga said, “I’m a student of the game. I love watching games. Especially since I got here.” He added that his new squad was supportive. “My teammates told me, ‘just go out there and be you,’” he said.

Kuminga largely fell out of Golden State’s rotation this season, as he was averaging 23.8 minutes per game but had only played in 20 contests. The Warriors selected him with the seventh pick in the 2021 NBA draft, and he had an up-and-down first four NBA seasons. His relationship with coach Steve Kerr and the franchise gradually deteriorated over the past year, and a length contract dispute over the summer soured both sides on each other.

The Hawks pounced on the dysfunction to land a promising forward who is only in his fifth year. Kuminga is making $23.8 million this season, and Atlanta holds a club option for $24.3 million for the 2026–27 campaign. The franchise will almost certainly pull the trigger on that eminently affordable option and let Kuminga earn his next contract.

It was only one night, but the Hawks look really smart for swapping an aging, injured center for a young wing who can be dynamic in the right setting.

Trae Young returns to Atlanta

While Kuminga was making his debut for the Hawks, Trae Young made his return to Atlanta, but did so from the bench. Young is currently dealing with a knee injury and has yet to play his first game for the Wizards since the Hawks traded him to Washington on January 9.

The Hawks played a tribute video for Young, who played his first seven-plus seasons in Atlanta.

Trae Young receives an emotional tribute video from the Hawks during his first game back in Atlanta ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Kj8yBhiIkj
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 25, 2026

That was a nice moment, then Kuminga went to work.

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