Jonathan Kuminga’s future with the Atlanta Hawks is still hanging out there, but one small roster detail is starting to raise eyebrows: Lu Dort is taking No. 0.
According to Etienne Catalan, the new Hawks guard will wear No. 0 this season after previously wearing No. 5 with the Oklahoma City Thunder. That switch became necessary because Dyson Daniels already has No.
- And while jersey numbers don’t decide roster moves, there’s a wrinkle here - Kuminga wore No. 0 last season after the Hawks’ trade deadline deal.
That alone doesn’t lock in any outcome. Kuminga has changed numbers before, going from No. 00 as a rookie with the Golden State Warriors to No. 1 the year he was traded.
But the bigger clue may be the Hawks’ roster math. Atlanta currently has 17 standard contracts and will need to trim to 15 by the start of the regular season, which feels like the cleaner read on where Kuminga stands.
Kuminga is still one of the notable unsigned names in free agency with training camp a little under two months away. He has been connected to the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers, but he remains available.
The thought had been that his free agency situation would settle once LeBron James made his decision, but now it’s been a little over two weeks since James wrapped that up, and Kuminga is still on the board.
After arriving at the deadline, Kuminga played in 16 games for Atlanta, starting one. He logged a little over 22 minutes per game and averaged 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 47.6 percent from the field, 34.6 percent from 3 and 70.2 percent from the line.
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Trae Young's name is still the one that makes this matchup feel different. He has recently spoken with appreciation about Hawks fans, and this game could be his first chance to step back into Atlanta as a visiting player since the trade. Even in a tournament group that will be judged by wins and losses, the emotional pull of that return may end up being the part everyone remembers most. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Kuminga Situation Could Suddenly Break Atlanta's Way
Jonathan Kumingas market may be shrinking in a way that could matter for Atlanta. NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that Cleveland may not chase a sign-and-trade for the forward as it turns its attention toward a contract extension with James Harden, and that shift would leave fewer obvious landing spots in play. For a player who has been linked to a few different possibilities, the squeeze could make the Hawks position feel a little more relevant than it did a few days ago.
Atlanta remains a logical name to watch because the Hawks have the kind of flexibility that can keep a return scenario alive, especially if other options dont gain traction. The Lakers and Timberwolves are still mentioned as possible suitors, but no real momentum has formed there, and that leaves Kuminga in a familiar holding pattern. For the Hawks, the appeal is simple: if the market keeps thinning out, their ability to stay in the conversation could suddenly matter a lot. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Fans Just Got A Marquee Home Date To Circle
LeBron James saying he will join the Philadelphia 76ers gives Atlanta a fresh layer of intrigue when the schedule circles back to one of the leagues annual spotlight dates. The Hawks are set to host Philadelphia on a holiday stage in the kind of nationally televised game that has become part of the citys routine, and it arrives with real star power attached.
Philadelphia and Atlanta will see each other three times this season, but this will be the only matchup in State Farm Arena. For Hawks fans, its the sort of home date that stands out immediately on the calendar, with a familiar holiday showcase now carrying a little extra juice because of who is expected to be in the building. [Read more 🡒]
