Jonathan Kuminga shoots just 1 of 9 from the floor, then says all the right things after playing his old team
Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks drives to the basket against the Golden State Warriors during the second quarter at State Farm Arena on March 21, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.
A black-and-white stat sheet nearby that left much to be desired., he found himself facing the same questions from familiar faces about subjects he knew personally over four-and-a-half years with the Warriors. “It felt like a normal game, just excited to see my old teammates and some of my guys out there,” Kuminga said softly. “It was great, and I was happy to see them.”Even as it became clear that he desired a more featured offensive role, more touches, more shots, more responsibility as Steph Curry and the Golden State core aged. All things Steve Kerr and the coaching staff were unable – and unwilling – to cede to the former lottery pick who too often botched the fundamentals they valued, even after the team gave him a new $46 million contract last summer to end a protracted negotiation. “I like Jonathan, and we always got along well. The basketball part was the hard part. We couldn’t quite offer him what he needed, and vice versa,” Kerr said pregame, later adding, “We offered him what we could, which was 25 minutes and a role that maybe he didn’t love, and it was never comfortable for either party on the basketball floor.” Among a stream of nondescript answers, Kuminga gave perhaps his most notable response when told of Kerr’s assessment of their old arrangement. “Hey man, listen, whatever they say, you can take it however you want to. I am not worried about the past. I’m here, I’m very happy where I’m at. I’m doing great. Our goal is to get where we want to get, and that comes up to us as a team,” Kuminga said of the Hawks, who sit sixth in a tight Eastern Conference. “Whatever is being said or whatever is going on, that’s not my problem anymore. I’m into the next chapter with teammates, and we’re trying to build something here.”Kuminga battled through a sore knee, shooting just 1 of 9 in 22 minutes off the bench. The isolation jumpers clanked or air-balled, ill-advised 3-pointers, defensive lapses, they were all there. But only a few moments after chucking a wild runner off the side of the backboard to fall to 0 of 7, Kuminga reeled the Hawks crowd back in with a decisive transition layup over Brandin Podziemski to score his only basket of the night. As he has since he entered the NBA as a raw 18-year-old, Kuminga frustrated fans with baffling decision-making, and then tantalized them with a display of sheer talent.Instead of trudging back to the Warriors’ locker room to field the same questions, Kuminga lingered on the court postgame to mingle with old colleagues. He enjoyed an extended conversation with Curry, both men covering their mouths to avoid prying eyes. Kuminga also made time to talk to Draymond Green, whom he deeply admires. “That my vet, that’s my OG,” Kuminga said. “You know me and Draymond’s connection is always there, that brotherhood is always there.” Even after Kuminga was sent to Atlanta, Green has maintained that he has faith in the 23-year-old’s capacity to become a franchise-changing player. “I hope he can go and become the player that we all thought he’d become,” Green said the day after Kuminga was traded.Then, as it so often did in Golden State, a mixture of health issues and poor on-court decision-making hampered him afterward on a team that has now won 12 of 13 games. Unlike in the Bay Area, where his every struggle and success was dissected by onlookers local and abroad, the stakes are different in Atlanta.The Warriors are no longer beholden to the idea of molding him into something he is not, a player who can carry them when Curry is out — and perhaps take over the mantle when Curry eventually retires. Instead of being the heir-apparent to a legend – in his mind and to at least a few around Golden State – Kuminga has a chance to figure out who he is as a player and make mistakes without being crucified. “I think I fit well. I don’t have any doubt that as a group we can go as far as we want,” Kuminga said. “I feel great about where I’m at with them.” Homicide victim had been warned to steer clear of Norteño turf, but teenaged killer caught him there, feds sayToday in History: March 22, largest hydropower station in the U.S. goes into operationCalifornia sheriff running for governor seizes more than a half million ballots from 2025 electionFormer finance manager charged in alleged embezzlement at Alameda girls’ leadership organization
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