It’s been just a little over a month since Jonathan Kuminga made his Atlanta Hawks debut, and whereas the crew has been red-hot since the All-Star break, it’s been a bit of a blended bag for the former Warrior as he acclimates to his new environment.
In 13 video games for Atlanta (25 potential appearances*), Kuminga has put up respectable ‘per game’ averages of 11.7 factors, 5.3 rebounds and a couple of.1 assists in 21 minutes an evening on a 59.7% True Shooting clip. Yet, given his sizable $24.3 million crew choice for subsequent season, it’s removed from a assure that he’ll be again in Atlanta in 2026-27, and I’m fairly fascinated to see the stage of manufacturing the crew will get from him going forwards, notably as the competitors stage rises in the postseason.
*Kuminga has been coping with a balky left knee since he injured it towards Dallas on January twenty second, and has performed in 4 consecutive video games for the Hawks simply as soon as since being acquired at the deadline.
After a irritating, enigmatic four-and-a-half-year stint in Golden State largely outlined by Kuminga’s dismal relationship with head coach, Steve Kerr, the former seventh total choose was in want of a contemporary begin in Atlanta, aiming to make good on the sky-high potential that made him a top-10 draft choose.
Kuminga took a number of weeks to get better from a bone bruise in his left knee after being traded to Atlanta, however as soon as he was cleared for motion, it regarded like he’d been shot out of a cannon in his first three video games in a Hawks uniform, going for 27, 17, and 20 factors towards Washington (twice) and Portland, taking pictures a mixed 21-for-31 from the subject (5-for-9 from three) over that stretch.
However, after lacking the following three video games with irritation in his left knee, he’s struggled to make a constant impression and has failed to achieve the double-digit mark in 5 out of his final ten appearances.
One pattern that’s starting to emerge in Kuminga’s performances with the Hawks is that he’s usually struggled towards Play-In/Playoff-caliber opponents relative to his performances towards lottery-bound groups. As you may see in the desk under, his numbers – notably his scoring effectivity – drop throughout the board towards greater caliber competitors.
So the place does this depart us? Which model of Kuminga can we belief? It’s a tough query given the miniscule pattern dimension (278 minutes) of him in a Hawks uniform, but it’s a query Atlanta’s entrance workplace is definitely attempting to reply as they put together to determine on his crew choice for subsequent season.
So with out additional ado, let’s undergo a number of critiques of Kuminga’s efficiency in Atlanta since the All-Star break.
I’ll begin with an apparent optimistic: Jonathan Kuminga is an elite athlete, even by NBA requirements, and these athletic items lend themselves properly to an Atlanta crew that likes to unfold its wings on offense, rating fifth in tempo and fourth in transition frequency on the season. Kuminga thrives in early shot clock conditions the place he can assault the protection with a head of steam – alternatives that got here round less frequently when he was in Golden State earlier this season.
Check out this play from Wednesday’s win over Orlando. ‘JK’ is in assault mode simply three seconds into the possession earlier than Franz Wagner can get into his defensive stance, and he capitalizes for a straightforward two factors plus the foul.
Against Boston, the Hawks power a turnover and are off to the races with a 3-on-2 benefit in transition. Kuminga receives the ball round half-court and some seconds later he’s at the rim, dropping in a lay-up.
Against Portland, he muscle mass the 7’2”, 280-pound (!) Donovan Clingan out of the means, earlier than ending off the possession with a fairly reverse lay-in.
Per cleaningtheglass (CTG), the Hawks rank second in transition effectivity this season, scoring 1.34 factors per play. With Kuminga taking pictures a formidable 20-for-32 (62.5%) in the first 9 seconds of the shot clock, Atlanta’s transition effectivity improves to 1.39* point-per-play when he’s in the recreation – underscoring his worth in these early shot clock conditions.
*92nd percentile relative to different five-man lineups this season (min. 100 possessions performed)
The downside is that even for groups like the Hawks who prefer to run, the majority of the recreation is performed in the halfcourt, the place Kuminga has been fairly inconsistent to date.
Halfcourt Offense Is a Work In Progress
Tasked with offering a scoring punch off the pine for a defensive-minded Atlanta Hawks bench unit, it might have been moderately pollyannaish to anticipate Kuminga to immediately mesh along with his new teammates. That stated, watching again a number of of his misses on movie, it’s clear that he must do a greater job selecting when to assault in the halfcourt.
From their latest recreation in Boston, Kuminga receives the ball on the wing and retains his head down on his drive to the basket. There’s greater than sufficient time on the shot-clock for Atlanta to get a cleaner look, and he has alternatives to move to Zaccharie Risacher, Mo Gueye or the chopping Corey Kispert, however as an alternative Kuminga opts to take it proper at three Celtics defenders leading to an empty possession for Atlanta.
Against Brooklyn on March twelfth, Kuminga goes one-on-one towards rookie ahead, Danny Wolf, and both doesn’t acknowledge or doesn’t care that Jalen Johnson’s defender is coming over to assist. Instead of kicking it out to the open Johnson, Kuminga tries to complete by means of contact, resulting in a blocked shot and a straightforward transition bucket for Brooklyn.
Earlier in the quarter of the similar Brooklyn recreation, Kuminga dominates the total possession, taking 11 dribbles earlier than failing to transform at the rim. Similar to the play above, he misses a wide-open Alexander-Walker in the nook earlier than going as much as shoot.
The clips above do a great job demonstrating why Kuminga is taking pictures simply 24-for-41 (58.5%) at the rim for the Hawks – properly under his profession rim subject purpose proportion of 71%. He must decelerate, course of the defensive protection, and do his greatest to not power issues.
Still, that’s to not say Kuminga is a whole misplaced trigger in these halfcourt conditions. There have been indicators of enchancment recently.
This was a beautiful and-one end on Amari Williams from final week’s recreation towards Boston.
Against Orlando, he places his energy on show as soon as once more, taking it proper at Da Silva earlier than ending at the rim.
Here, he acknowledges he’s in a crowd, and as an alternative of forcing up a troublesome mid-range try, kicks it out to Alexander-Walker for a triple from the prime of the key. Yes!
Even when he doesn’t convert, the stress Kuminga places on the basket could be a optimistic for Atlanta – particularly when he takes an opposing rebounder out of the equation, like on this possession towards Detroit.
Additionally, Kuminga is a giant assist relating to producing free-throws for a Hawks crew that ranks 25th in free-throw try charge on the season, drawing taking pictures fouls on 17.6% of his subject purpose makes an attempt in Atlanta, a mark that ranks in the 94th percentile amongst forwards per cleaningtheglass.
Something I’d prefer to see the Hawks do extra of is placing Kuminga in ‘obvious attack’ conditions the place he can use the similar items in the halfcourt that make him such a deadly transition scorer.
In the play under, CJ McCollum has his drive walled off by Ausar Thompson and kicks it out to Kuminga on the reverse wing. The left aspect is totally cleared out for ‘JK’ – simply try how a lot area he has when he catches the ball – and Javonte Green (my guy!) has no probability sticking with Kuminga’s drive.
I’ve actually loved the possessions the place Atlanta makes use of him as a roll-man, like on this play towards Memphis. McCollum makes a fantastic move to the rolling Kuminga and it’s a straightforward slam for ‘JK’ – with GG Jackson torn between serving to on Kuminga and sticking to Corey Kispert in the nook.
Per cleaningtheglass, Atlanta is scoring 0.96 points-per-play in the halfcourt with Kuminga on the flooring – barely under their halfcourt effectivity on the season and a mark that ranks in simply the 42nd percentile relative to different five-man lineups with not less than 100 possessions performed this season. I’m curious to see whether or not this quantity rises as Kuminga and his teammates develop a greater understanding of one another’s video games.
Impact On The Defensive Glass Has Been Elite
We’ve spent so much of time speaking about Kuminga’s scoring capability, however one other space the place he’s made a noticeable impression for Atlanta is on the glass. I mentioned the Hawks substantial turnaround on the boards since the All-Star break in my last piece, and when he’s performed, Kuminga has been a giant half of this enchancment – notably on the defensive finish.
Per pbpstats, Kuminga is personally snagging 18.3% of accessible defensive boards when he’s on the flooring for Atlanta – properly above his profession defensive rebounding proportion (DREB%) of 13% – and it’s encouraging to see that this has translated to the team-level as properly, as Atlanta’s 77.9% defensive rebounding proportion with Kuminga on the flooring ranks in the 99th percentile (!) relative to different five-man lineups this season per cleaningtheglass.
While it might be good to see the Hawks flip extra of these defensive rebounds into transition alternatives*, provided that the defensive glass was a legitimate problem to start out the season, Kuminga’s impression on this space deserves a ton of reward.
*per CTG, the Hawks are turning simply 28.3% of their defensive boards into transition possessions with Kuminga on the flooring – 44th percentile relative to different five-man lineups this season.
Is His Defensive Impact Sustainable?
Lastly, we have to speak about Kuminga’s impression on the defensive finish – past the boards, of course. Per cleaningtheglass, the Hawks are posting an elite, 104.5 defensive ranking with Kuminga on the flooring, a mark that ranks in the 98th percentile relative to different five-man lineups this season.
While limiting their opponent’s second probability alternatives has definitely been an element right here, the Hawks are additionally forcing turnovers on 17% of their defensive possessions* and holding their opponents to an unfathomable 57.8% rim subject purpose proportion** with Kuminga on the flooring – each of that are elite marks.
*92nd percentile relative to different five-man lineups per CTG
**99th percentile relative to different five-man lineups per CTG (for reference, San Antonio Spurs’ opponents are taking pictures 60.4% at the rim when Victor Wembanyama is in the recreation – albeit in a a lot bigger pattern dimension)
Kuminga has been a extra energetic defender since becoming a member of the Hawks, posting extra steals per 100 possessions in Atlanta (1.9) than he did in any season with the Warriors.
Against his former crew, he picks off Poziemski’s skip move to the nook, sparking an offensive possession that leads to a Risacher triple.
Kuminga can also be a reputable deterrent round the hoop – as on show in these two performs from Atlanta’s win over Boston on March thirtieth.
Below, he does a great job sticking with Pritchard’s drive earlier than forcing a miss.
Here, he and Okongwu trigger Jaylen Brown to regulate mid-air on his drive to the hoop, leading to one other Boston miss.
Now, it needs to be stated that these defensive numbers are virtually definitely inflated by the competition-level Kuminga has confronted – with Atlanta enjoying lottery-bound opponents in six out of the 13 video games he’s appeared in – besides, you solely play the groups in your schedule, and it’s been good to see Kuminga and the Hawks taking care of enterprise on the defensive finish.
Kuminga’s subsequent alternative to impress comes at house tonight towards the New York Knicks (7-3 of their final ten video games), who at present occupy the 3-seed in the Eastern Conference.
Each recreation supplies one other information level and I’ll be keeping track of his scoring effectivity towards a Playoff-caliber opponent, in addition to how the crew performs on the glass when he’s on the flooring – with New York rating sixth in offensive rebounding charge and third in defensive rebounding charge on the season
Tip-off is at 7:00pm EST on FanDuel Sports!
