Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga (0) reacts after making a three point shot against the Washington Wizards during the first half at State Farm Arena.
Feb 26, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga (0) reacts after making a three point shot against the Washington Wizards during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
NBA

NBA World Reacts to Jonathan Kuminga’s Hot 3-0 Start With the Hawks: ‘Trade Deadline Pickup of the Century’

Jonathan Kuminga’s third straight impressive all-around performance since joining the Hawks sends the NBA world into a frenzy.

Jonathan Kuminga’s strong start with the Atlanta Hawks continued in Sunday’s 135-101 blowout home win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Following the fifth-year forward’s third straight efficient, all-around showing, the NBA world raved about his immediate impact since his trade deadline move from the Golden State Warriors.

Come test your knowledge and see if you can guess the NBA player!
The NBA Player Guessing Game allows you to guess the NBA player based on clues about their team, division, height, jersey number, points, and experience.

Jonathan Kuminga Garners Strong Praise as Breakout With Hawks Continues

After shuffling in and out of Golden State’s rotation and being heavily involved in trade rumors over the past few years, Kuminga has carved out a consistent role in Atlanta, showcasing his athleticism and upside.

The 23-year-old finished Sunday’s victory with 20 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 3-pointer, shooting 7-for-10 overall (70%) off the bench.

The high-flying forward, who has thrived in transition with his new team, put an exclamation point on his performance with an emphatic fast-break windmill dunk late in the fourth quarter, sending the NBA world into a frenzy on X.

“Warriors failed Jonathan Kuminga,” RotoWire declared.

“Jonathan Kuminga might be the trade deadline pickup of the century for the Hawks, not to mention that his addition allows the Hawks to fully move [Zaccharie] Risacher to the bench,” analyst Kevin Keneely asserted.

“Jonathan Kuminga appears to be comfortable in Atlanta,” Underdog NBA observed.

“JONATHAN KUMINGA CAN’T STOP DUNKING,” Legion Hoops exclaimed.


“Jonathan Kuminga dunking in this 4Q > All-Star Weekend Dunk Contest,” Hawks.com’s Kevin Chouinard claimed.

“It’s crazy how talented the kid is when he gets real playing time instead of DNPs,” SleeperHawks pointed out.

With their latest victory, the Hawks (31-31) improved to .500 for the first time since Dec. 23. They are riding a four-game winning streak, including a perfect 3-0 start with Kuminga in the lineup. Those three victories have all come by 21-plus points, a testament to the youngster’s impact.

While Kuminga has been playing fast and free in Atlanta, the Warriors’ trade deadline return for him, oft-injured veteran center Kristaps Porziņģis, has been limited to just one appearance in Golden State due to a lingering illness.

Porziņģis’ absence streak, combined with Kuminga’s breakout, has made the Hawks the clear early winner of the deal. However, the latter still has to prove that he can maintain his effectiveness for a prolonged stretch after battling inconsistency with the Warriors.

Through three contests since joining Atlanta, Kuminga is averaging 21.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.7 3-pointers per game. He has done so on standout 67.7/55.6/77.3 shooting splits.

Kuminga will look to continue his hot start during Wednesday’s road clash against the Milwaukee Bucks (26-33).

Tristan Rawcliffe
Written by Tristan Rawcliffe

Free Tools from PFSN

Join the Conversation!

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Free Tools from PFSN