Jonathan Kuminga gets positive update after Warriors trade originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Jonathan Kuminga’s trade away from the Golden State Warriors came later than expected, but the decision to move on was clearly necessary.
While a lack of trade traction in January led to reports suggesting that the Warriors could keep Kuminga through the end of the 2025-2026 NBA season, the Atlanta Hawks came in to take the veteran forward off the Warriors’ hands.
The result? Kuminga is in great spirits, according to Warriors insider Anthony Slater. “From everything I've heard, he is very happy and settling in in Atlanta,” he said of Kuminga.
Back in 2020, Kuminga’s pro career started with the NBA G League Ignite program. He ended up becoming the seventh-overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. When Kuminga joined the Warriors, he averaged 16.9 minutes off the bench for a championship-winning team. It was a great scenario.
While Kuminga continued playing a key role for Golden State, he eventually fell out of favor with the head coach, Steve Kerr. Following the 2024-2025 NBA season, Kuminga became a restricted free agent and wasn’t getting the long-term deal he desired from the organization or anybody else. The Warriors offered a short-term deal, which Kuminga took. However, it was clear that there was a possibility he could get traded by mid-January at the earliest.
As the 2025-2026 season played out, it was becoming increasingly clear that a trade was highly likely as the season played out and Kuminga fell out of the rotation.
Kuminga is getting a fresh start in Atlanta. He’s currently nursing an injury, so he’s been out for the first three games since the trade occurred. As it seems like Kuminga is in good spirits with his fresh start, boosting his spirits, the Hawks look forward to seeing the former top 10 pick in action within their system.
Over five years, Kuminga has played in 278 games for the Warriors. He has shot 50 percent from the field, averaging 12.5 points. In addition to his scoring, Kuminga posted averages of 1.8 assists, 4.2 rebounds, and nearly one steal per game.
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