Takeaways from Warriors' Loss to Hawks: Kuminga Landed in Great Place

The Golden State Warriors got blown out for the third consecutive game, falling 126-110 to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.

Dyson Daniels had a game-high 28 points, and CJ McCollum added 23.

De'Anthony Melton paced the Warriors (33-38) with 20 points.

Here are three takeaways from Saturday's game.

Kuminga Landed in Great Place

In his first game against his former team, Jonathan Kuminga had just two points on 1-of-9 shooting, four rebounds, two assists, two turnovers and one steal in 22 minutes.

But even with his struggles and the Hawks playing without star forward Jalen Johnson, they still dominated, at one point leading by 28 before the Warriors made a garbage-time push.

The Hawks have now won 12 of 13, and Kuminga has played in just seven of those games. He's fit in well, scoring 16-plus in four of them, but that's not my big takeaway from the beginning of his Hawks tenure. Instead, it's how Atlanta is a great landing spot for him.

The Hawks are long and athletic. Kuminga is not being asked to be the athletic aspect of his new team like he often was with the Warriors. He's simply fitting in for a team that loves to get out in transition and has several players who can attack the basket.

Essentially, the Hawks have more offensive talent than the Warriors, and that's opening up paint-scoring opportunities for everyone. It wasn't Kuminga's day Saturday, but many of the baskets Dyson Daniels scored came on plays Kuminga excels at. Next game, it could easily be Kuminga scoring 28 points, as defenses have to pick their poison.

Quin Snyder is a good coach and general manager Onsi Saleh has built a promising present and future. The Hawks should be in the playoffs this season, and they don't seem far from seriously vying for a conference championship.

Kuminga will get a chance to prove himself on a big stage with a team that fits his playing style. What more could you ask for?

Kerr's Candid Take on Podz's Ceiling Feels Accurate

Steve Kerr had a fascinating answer regarding the trajectory of Brandin Podziemski, who struggled Saturday with five points and three turnovers.

Kerr first acknowledged that Podz has proved in his three seasons that he can drive winning before going into some of his limitations that have been exposed in Stephen Curry's 20-game absence.

"He is really exploring how good he can become and what type of player he wants to be," Kerr told reporters. "And I think you've seen lots of hiccups along the way where he's trying things that aren't working. But playing without Steph for 20 games is gonna expose some of that.

"If he's playing off Steph, off of the ball, if he's playing more of a secondary ball-handler role, he's really good. He does a lot of things that other players don't do. He's got a knack.

"When he tries to be too on-ball, you see him get into some trouble. You see the warts, and this is all part of being a young player."

It hasn't been a disastrous 20-game stretch for Podz. He's averaged 14.5 points on 42.1 percent from the field and 32.0 percent from three. He's had 85 assists and 39 turnovers, which is a solid ratio for a player burdened with a scoring and playmaking load.

But the takeaway from this recent stretch is that Podz isn't ready for lead guard duties, and perhaps he never will be.

That limits his ceiling, but he already provides plenty of value as a secondary ball-handler who can shoot, rebound and defend.

As long as he realizes that and focuses on how he helps the team the most, he should be a Warrior for a long time.

The Warriors Should Try Nate Williams More Even When They Are Healthy

Williams was Golden State's best player Saturday, finishing with 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting.

That puts Williams at 53.2 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from three in 10 games with Golden State.

The 6'5" wing is a hard-nosed defender who has the potential to be an asset on the less glamorous end. What's kept him from being an NBA mainstay has likely been his three-point shooting.

The question is, when his shooting comes back down to earth, will he make up for it with enough defense, rebounding and energy?

I say let's find out.

The Warriors need wing depth this season and next. It's worth giving the 27-year-old a real shot when Curry returns.