Jonathan Kuminga is gone from Atlanta, but the conversation around that move may not be going anywhere anytime soon.
The immediate reaction is obvious enough: the Hawks can turn the page, hand more run to young frontcourt pieces like sophomore Asa Newell or rookies Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesaar, and keep building. But the other side of the story is just as real. If Kuminga finds the right landing spot and takes off again, Atlanta could be staring at a decision that ages badly in a hurry.
That possibility is tied to a very specific kind of fit, one built around a player like LaMelo Ball, who has already shown he can bring out the best in a wing with Kuminga’s traits. The comparison in the source is clear: Kuminga and Miles Bridges are cut from the same cloth. Both bring explosive athleticism that shows up more on offense than defense, both can create enough off the dribble to get downhill, and both live with jumpers that can swing wildly from night to night.
Ball knows that archetype well from his time with Bridges in Charlotte. With Bridges now also moving on at the same time Ball is headed to Phoenix, Charlotte is left sorting through rotation questions of its own.
Minnesota, though, is in a different spot entirely. The Wolves are positioned to contend, and Kuminga would be expected to matter right away, with Ball’s playmaking and Anthony Edwards’ gravity giving him a platform to do damage.
That’s where the warning sign for Atlanta comes in. If Kuminga catches fire early with Minnesota, the optics could get ugly fast for Onsi Saleh, especially because the Wolves landed him on what is described as an exceptionally cheap contract. The source paints him as an immediate starter there, with any defensive issues likely covered up by Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert.
And from Atlanta’s perspective, that is exactly the nightmare scenario: Kuminga thriving somewhere else while the Hawks are left wondering whether they gave up too soon.
Still, the source also makes clear there’s no animosity toward Kuminga himself. He was described as an upstanding member of the Hawks organization during his short stint there, and Atlanta’s run to six games against the eventual champions in New York in the first round would not have happened without him. The hope, at least from that vantage point, is that he does big things in his next stop - just not so big that Atlanta is stuck wearing the backlash for it.
In Other News...
Hawks Roster Crunch Is About To Force A Tough Decision
Atlantas roster count has crept into an uncomfortable place, with 17 players on the books and the regular-season limit sitting at 15. That leaves the Hawks needing to clear room before the season gets underway, and the timing matters even more because the NBAs waive-and-stretch deadline is here, which sharply narrows the teams options for trimming down without simply cutting a player outright.
The front office could still explore a few different paths, including using a trade to move one of the extra pieces and lessen the squeeze. Devin Carter and Ryan Nembhard are among the names that could come up in those discussions, while other roster maneuvers remain on the table as Atlanta weighs how aggressive it wants to be. Nothing is locked in yet, but the clock is now forcing the kind of decision teams prefer to avoid until the last possible moment. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Frontcourt Shakeup Opens A Bigger Role For An Unexpected Rookie
The Hawks have spent the summer reshaping the front line in a way that could create an unexpected opening for a rookie who was not supposed to be central to the conversation this soon. Jonathan Kuminga is headed to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a sign-and-trade, and Atlantas own deal sending Zaccharie Risacher for Luguentz Dort has only added to the sense that the frontcourt rotation is in flux as the roster gets reworked around new pieces.
Zuby Ejiofor is the name to watch now, especially if Atlanta has to absorb more wear and tear up front. With the Hawks already carrying a thinner group in the paint and a few injury concerns still hanging over the roster, the rookie could find himself pushed into meaningful minutes faster than expected. For a team trying to hold the line while the roster settles, that makes Ejiofor an intriguing part of the equation. [Read more 🡒]
Which Hawks Rookie Can Earn A Real Role Fastest
Atlantas rookie class gives the Hawks three very different bets, and each one comes with a possible path to early minutes. Kingston Flemings arrives with the kind of passing vision and perimeter shooting that can translate quickly if the adjustment period is manageable, while Zuby Ejiofor brings the sort of rebounding and shot-blocking that can give a young big a real niche. Henri Veesaar, meanwhile, stands out as a seven-footer who can stretch the floor, which is always worth a closer look when a team is sorting out how to build bench lineups.
The challenge for all three is the same one most first-year players face: finding a role before the growing pains pile up. The Hawks are not just asking which rookie is the most talented, but which one can earn trust fastest by doing one or two things well enough to stay on the floor. Flemings, Ejiofor and Veesaar each have a clear selling point, and each also has an area that will determine whether that promise becomes something Atlanta can use right away. [Read more 🡒]