Wizards Vs Hawks: Jonathan Kuminga all smiles in 'great' Hawks debut
Jonathan Kuminga exploded in his Atlanta debut on Tuesday, scoring a season-high 27 in the 119-98 rout of the Washington Wizards as the wizards vs hawks matchup turned into a showcase for his return. The wizards vs hawks game also saw Jalen Johnson leave with a hip flexor injury in the first quarter, which thrust Kuminga into nearly 24½ minutes and a larger role.
Wizards Vs Hawks: Kuminga flips switch in Atlanta debut
Entering off the bench near the midway point of the first quarter, Kuminga thundered into the game with transition scores and highlight plays. He dunked off a fast break — breaking into a big grin as he jogged back up the court — and knocked down 3-pointers while spending much of the night smiling. In his initial stint he produced a 3-pointer, four assists, two rebounds and a steal; he also logged an assist on his first possession, an easy transition layup a minute later and an easy transition dunk a minute after that. By the end of the opening period he had totaled 7 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists and a steal.
A quick 24-minute burst and a season-high 27
Kuminga finished with a season-high 27 points and played nearly 24½ minutes. One headline framed the burst as taking "just 24 minutes" to make its point. After a quieter second quarter in which he grabbed two rebounds without recording a shot attempt, Kuminga checked back in at the halfway point of the third and quickly poured in points, racking up a rapid 18-point stretch while adding 2 rebounds and another steal during the run.
Role expanded after Johnson's hip flexor injury
Atlanta's All-Star forward Jalen Johnson went down in the first quarter with a hip flexor injury and did not return, which pushed Kuminga into a bigger-than-expected role. Coach Quin Snyder praised the new addition: "He connected with his teammates and let the game come to him. " Kuminga played the extended minutes and finished with seven rebounds, four assists and two steals overall.
Trade backstory and Golden State timeline
The Hawks acquired Kuminga and guard Buddy Hield in a deal that sent center Kristaps Porzingis to Golden State at the trade deadline. Porzingis had played just 17 games during his only season in Atlanta because of injuries and illness. Kuminga had missed his first six games with Atlanta, sandwiched around the All-Star break, while recovering from a left knee bone bruise sustained in his closing weeks with Golden State.
Kuminga is the No. 7 overall pick from the 2021 draft and is a fifth-year swingman and G League Ignite product who was part of a Finals-winning squad in his rookie season. He started the season as a starter, averaging 12. 1 points, 5. 9 rebounds and 2. 5 assists per game during his limited time on the court, but was dropped from Golden State's rotation and asked to be traded. The Warriors initially indicated there weren't a lot of teams showing interest before Atlanta stepped forward. Coach Steve Kerr discounted any off-the-court issues with Kuminga even though the 23-year-old from the Democratic Republic of the Congo played in just seven of his last 38 games with Golden State. Coverage of his departure noted a lengthy strain between player and coach: the two clashed over 18 long months, Kerr made multiple public comments at Kuminga's expense, Kuminga never returned to his third-year peak and was ultimately shipped to Atlanta "for pennies on the dollar. " Former teammate Draymond Green was quoted as saying Kuminga had been dealt a poor hand to start his career.
What Kuminga said and what's next
On the court after the win, Kuminga offered a short summary of his feelings: "It was great. I was excited to be out there with the guys. " He added a wider reply on outside commentary: "Everybody has an opinion. I really don't play attention to what anyone else is saying. We're trying to win as many games as we can here. That's my main focus. " The next confirmed milestone or scheduled event is unclear in the provided context.
