Who The Atlanta Hawks Gave Up In Their Biggest NBA Trade Deadline Deal

The Hawks were one of the most active teams in the NBA over the trade deadline and their team looks much different than it did at the start of the season

Dec 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Kristaps Porzingis (8) dunks against the Denver Nuggets in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The2026 NBA Trade Deadline is now in the past.

The Atlanta Hawks were one of the most active teams at the deadline this season. First, they moved star point guard Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. Then they moved Vit Krejci to Portland for Duop Reath (who has since been waived) and a pair of second round picks. They moved Luke Kennard to the Lakers for Gabe Vincent and a second round pick and sent cash considerations to Utah for center Jock Landale.

But the biggest move came out of nowhere last night.

It was not a surprise that the Hawks ended up moving Kristaps Porzingis to Golden State for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. While the Kuminga saga has carried on for the entirety of this season, the Hawks were not a team that he had been connected to, but that is where he has landed alongside Buddy Hield. In one of the most surprising deals of the deadline, Porzingis was dealt for Kuminga and Hield and the Hawks will have the rest of the season to see how they fit with this team.

Looking at this trade

Dec 6, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga (1) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Jaylon Tyson (20) during the second half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

On the Hawks side, they get a player who has very high upside in Kuminga and one of the best shooters in the NBA in Hield. The Kuminga saga has been well documented and he had fallen out of favor there, but there is a reason that he was picked as high as he was in the NBA draft.

The Hawks had not been mentioned as a potential Kuminga suitor, but they make some sense. He has played in 20 games this season (starting 13 of them) and is averaging 12.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 2.5 APG this season on 45% shooting from the field and 32% from three.

Hield on the other hand has played in 44 games for the Warriors this season and is averaging 8.0 PPG on a career worst 34.4% from three.

The situation with Kuminga is fascinating. He has a team option for the 2026-2027 season for $24.3 million, and Hield will have two years left on his deal after this season, but he is only partially guaranteed for $3 million, and if this does not go well the rest of the season, the Hawks can move on from him pretty easily.

The Hawks made a calculated swing for Kristaps Porzingis this offseason in a three team trade, but it did not work out the way that they had hoped due to Porzingis being unavailable due to injury or illness for much of the season, as he has only played in 17 games this season. The Hawks made a trade earlier in the day to acquire Jock Landale for cash considerations and he will likely be an impactful player for them down the stretch.

So how does Kuminga fit with this team? Is he going to come off the bench or become a starter for the Hawks? Right now, the Hawks are starting Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu. I think Kuminga seems likely to come off the bench, at least at first, and run with the second unit, unless they move Risacher to the bench and start Kuminga.

Atlanta has a lot it has to figure out with this roster now that they have Kuminga, but they are going to get two players who should help them on the court immediately. Porzingis was not helping the Hawks by being unavailable, though he played well when on the court. Kuminga and Hield will be available on a nightly basis and should help them make a push for the playoffs.

If Kuminga does not fit with the team, the Hawks can simply decline his team option after the season is over, but this is a chance for him to show he can be a real player on a team that is building for the future.

It should be noted that when the Hawks hired current GM Onsi Saleh away from Golden State, Kuminga had just finished up his third season with the team. Saleh should know what he is getting into with this trade.

At the end of the day, the Hawks are gambling on Kuminga's young talent and that Hield can help their shooting. Let's see if it pays off.