Jonathan Kuminga explodes for 27 points in his Hawks debut, showcasing dominant form and fueling a decisive victory. A promising start for Atlanta's newest acquisition.
The Atlanta Hawks rolled over the Washington Wizards in Tuesday night's matchup to improve to 19-21 on the season. The matchup was especially interesting because Jonathan Kuminga made his anticipated debut with the team, and he looked healthy and dominant in his first game as a Hawk.
Kuminga came off the bench paired with Zaccharir Risacher and Gabe Vincent. In 22 minutes on the court, Kuminga led all scorers in the game with 27 points, shooting 9-for-12 from the field and knocking down three 3-pointers. He also added seven rebounds, four assists and two steals, making an immediate impact in Atlanta’s 119-98 rout.
“It was great,” Kuminga said. “I was excited to be out there with the guys.”
The only disappointing aspect of Atlanta's rout over Washington was Jalen Johnson being removed from the game with a left hip flexor injury and not returning. Quin Snyder will likely be asked about that following Tuesday's game, especially since Kuminga wound up taking on a bigger-than-expected role after Johnson exited in the first quarter.
But, back to Kuminga, he really flashed his all-around ability in his first game with the Hawks. He checked in near the midway point of the first quarter and wasted no time making his presence felt. He dunked in transition, broke into a wide grin as he ran back on defense, and showcased his versatility with a 3-pointer, playmaking reads and disruptive defense during his initial stint.
“He connected with his teammates and let the game come to him,” Snyder said of his new addition.
While Washington isn't the best competition, this was a good opportunity to get Kuminga used to the game flow again, as it had been over a month since he'd been active. Kuminga missed his first six games with the Hawks, sandwiched around the All-Star break, while recovering from a left knee bone bruise sustained during his closing weeks with the Golden State Warriors. The injury didn’t appear to limit him in any way Tuesday night, which is encouraging for both the Hawks and Kuminga as they push toward the second half of the season.
After riding the bench in Golden State and falling out of favor with coach Steve Kerr, Kuminga now finds himself with a fresh opportunity. The Hawks acquired Kuminga and Buddy Hield at the trade deadline in a deal that sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Warriors.
Kuminga, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 draft, had seen his role diminish late in his tenure with Golden State and even requested a trade when his playing time dwindled. In limited action this season before the move, he averaged 12.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists.
Still, Kuminga made it clear he isn’t focused on proving anything to his former team.
“Everybody has an opinion,” Kuminga said. “I really don't pay attention to what anyone else is saying. We're trying to win as many games as we can here. That's my main focus.”
Other things that happened in the Hawks' win over Washington included Trae Young receiving a tribute video in his first game returning to Atlanta since being traded.
HawksRoundtable will have coverage about the Jalen Johnson situation once more information is released by the team.
If Kuminga strings together a few strong performances like this one, Snyder may be forced to utilize him in a starting role going forward.