Jonathan Kuminga All Smiles in Atlanta Debut, Scores Season-High 27 in 119-98 Win
Jonathan Kuminga made a statement in his Atlanta Hawks debut on Tuesday, pouring in a season-high 27 points as the Hawks routed the Washington Wizards 119-98. The performance mattered immediately: it followed a brief injury layoff and came after a trade that brought him to Atlanta, and his role expanded when All-Star forward Jalen Johnson exited early with a hip flexor injury.
Atlanta debut: immediate impact against Washington Wizards
Kuminga checked in off the bench near the midway point of the first quarter and made an immediate impact against the Washington Wizards, dunking on a fast break, flashing a wide smile and knocking down a 3-pointer. During his initial stint on the floor he contributed a 3-pointer, four assists, two rebounds and a steal before finishing the night with seven rebounds, four assists and two steals overall.
Playing time expanded after Jalen Johnson hip flexor injury
The Hawks wound up relying on Kuminga for nearly 24 1/2 minutes, a larger-than-expected workload after Jalen Johnson went down in the first quarter with a hip flexor injury and did not return. That increase in minutes translated directly into on-court production: Kuminga scored a season-high 27 points in the 119-98 game, helping Atlanta pull away from a struggling Washington team.
Jonathan Kuminga's recovery from left knee bone bruise
Kuminga had missed his first six games with the Hawks, a stretch sandwiched around the All-Star break, while recovering from a left knee bone bruise sustained in the closing weeks of his stint with Golden State. The recovery timeline limited his availability early with Atlanta but cleared him to make the Tuesday debut that turned into a breakout night.
Trade details: Kristaps Porzingis moved to Golden State Warriors
The Hawks acquired Kuminga and guard Buddy Hield in a trade that sent center Kristaps Porzingis to the Golden State Warriors at the trade deadline. Porzingis had played just 17 games during his only season in Atlanta because of injuries and illness. The Warriors initially indicated there were not many teams showing interest in Kuminga, but Atlanta stepped forward to complete the deal.
From Golden State rotation to renewed opportunity under Quin Snyder
Kuminga, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 draft, had been dropped from the rotation in Golden State and requested a trade as his playing time dwindled; he appeared in just seven of his last 38 games with the Warriors. He started the season in Golden State as a starter, averaging 12. 1 points, 5. 9 rebounds and 2. 5 assists per game during his limited minutes. Warriors coach Steve Kerr discounted any suggestion of off-court issues, while Hawks coach Quin Snyder said Kuminga "connected with his teammates and let the game come to him, " highlighting a smooth transition into the Atlanta locker room.
Kuminga, a 23-year-old from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, said he was excited to be on the floor and emphasized team goals rather than sending any messages to his former team. "Everybody has an opinion, " he said, adding that his main focus is on winning as many games as possible with the Hawks.
What makes this notable is how a short rehabilitation and a midseason trade combined with an early injury to a teammate to create a window for Kuminga to showcase his versatile scoring and playmaking in close to 24 1/2 minutes — a reminder of why Atlanta pursued him at the deadline.
