After a long waiting game, former Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga found his next destination last week, landing with the Minnesota Timberwolves on a short-term deal.
The move officially brought an end to his Hawks tenure, which was unlikely to continue after the team declined his option for the 2026-27 season.
Kuminga only appeared in 16 games for Atlanta in the 2025-26 regular season before making six more appearances in the playoffs. His time with the team was short, but his agent argues that the former lottery pick was Atlanta's "best player" in terms of his "winning impact" statistically.
Jonathan Kuminga's agent Aaron Turner on Kuminga's time with the Hawks last season:
"He was their best player from the moment he showed up in terms of winning impact. He had the best on/off net rating … These are facts. These aren't opinions."pic.twitter.com/iokTTWbvjn
Kuminga's agent added that his client could have returned to the Hawks in a bench role as their eighth player but noted that a situation like that wouldn't have left a ton of room for growth.
After being traded to Atlanta last season, Kuminga averaged 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in the regular season. He then averaged 13.7 points per game in the playoffs as the Hawks lost to the New York Knicks in six games in the first round.
For what it's worth, from the time Kuminga debuted with Atlanta through the end of the regular season, he actually ranked sixth on the team in net rating, according to NBA.com. The site also shows that he had a negative net rating in the playoffs. His agent could be referencing something else, but it appears that there are some counters to the argument.
Kuminga ultimately settled on a two-year, $12.4 million deal with the Timberwolves last week with a player option for the second season. While not the big win he seemed to be looking for in free agency, the deal gives him some flexibility to test the waters again in the near future, so if he plays well this coming season, he may be able to cash in next summer.
The deal with the Wolves eliminated the possibility of the Hawks participating in a sign-and-trade to get Kuminga to his next stop, which would've given them a chance to land an asset or two as part of his departure. But they can at least put the saga to rest now and focus on finalizing their roster for the 2026-27 season.
The 23-year-old was certainly a playable piece with Atlanta last season after coming over from the Golden State Warriors. Whether he was truly their best player in terms of winning impact may be disputed by fans, even if his agent is citing stats.
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