The Atlanta Hawks have a $24.3 million team option on Jonathan Kuminga for the 2026-27 season, and the obvious move is to decline it to work out a long-term deal. The 23-year-old isn’t extension eligible, so the only way to do a multi-year deal is to rip up the current option. ESPN’s Bobby Marks explains all Atlanta’s options perfectly, and getting a long-term deal done should be the clear goal.
Some might be questioning Kuminga’s value. He came off the bench and averaged 12.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 0.9 steals in 22.1 minutes per game after the trade. Those numbers don’t blow fans away, but that doesn’t quite sum up Kuminga’s impact.
The Hawks were 15.5 points per 100 possessions better with the 6’7 forward on the floor during the regular season. It dropped to 8.3 points per 100 in the playoffs, but only after the disastrous Game 6 blowout, where Atlanta was completely run off the floor by the New York Knicks. There is no questioning his impact, and it wasn’t just in the numbers.
Hawks must get Jonathan Kuminga on a long-term contract
Nobody expected Atlanta to make the playoffs or push the Knicks to six games after the Trae Young trade. Everyone thought the Hawks were taking a short-term step back to build long-term around Jalen Johnson, but Kuminga had other ideas. He has been eager for a shot to impact winning, and the 23-year-old got it in Atlanta.
CJ McCollum praised Kuminga’s championship DNA after he made a clutch play to help the Hawks close out a playoff win. Fans saw it too. It is not just getting buckets. Kuminga can defend multiple positions, get stops, and even make a few plays. He was locked in on doing all the little things in Atlanta, and it should pay off.
Kuminga has to work with the Hawks to make this strategy viable. Declining the team option makes the 6’7 forward an unrestricted free agent. Atlanta must have a long-term contract worked out with JK before that happens. Kuminga thinks he’s a future All-Star, so the plan hinges on how much he demands in his next deal.
Kuminga isn't flawless. His jumper is still developing, and the shot selection can be questionable at times. That is a young player growing his game. The Hawks have to let him work through those issues to get the best version of Kuminga.
The two sides should find common ground. Kuminga made an immediate impact in Atlanta, and the young forward finally got a shot to be a key part of the rotation. Everyone was happy. The Hawks clearly value Kuminga and will put him in positions to succeed. That is all the 23-year-old can ask for, especially if he’s being paid millions to make it happen.
The Atlanta Hawks must decline Jonathan Kuminga’s team option and agree on a long-term extension. The young forward is still improving and already impacting winning on his new team. JK is motivated to make the Warriors look foolish, and he’s already doing it. The best is yet to come, which is why the Hawks need to keep him in Atlanta. They have to find a way to get the deal done.
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