The Atlanta Hawks viewed Jonathan Kuminga's contract as a low-risk, high-reward option when they acquired him and Buddy Hield in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis at last season's trade deadline.
They wouldn't be exempt from any tough decisions regarding him, though, as just months later, they needed to decide whether to pick up his team option for the 2026-27 season or not.
Well, according to ESPN's Shams Charania, they're "declining Jonathan Kuminga's $24.3 million team option, making him a free agent."
While on the surface, it appears that the Hawks and Kuminga want to part ways, there could still be a reality in which they bring him back on a longer deal for less annual value.
Declining Kuminga gives Atlanta more options
Optionality strikes again. While picking up his expensive team option for next season would've come with a significant amount of potential trade partners, going the other way still allows them to improve, whether that means bringing him back for less money or not.
Unlike the recent Buddy Hield saga - which ironically enough, isn't over with - Atlanta couldn't extend the deadline on this one. They needed to make a decision now. It was simply too quick of a turnaround to make such a commitment so they felt the best path forward was to decline it.
When an organization has a young asset with plenty of potential, they don't want to ever just let them walk for nothing. While that still absolutely could be the case here, depending on his anticipated value on the open market, there's reason to believe Atlanta would be interested in bringing him back, or take the road less traveled - a sign and trade.
Again, options. Having just traded for Devin Carter, parting ways with, well, nothing, there's clearly no signs coming from Atlanta's front office that they'll stay complacent.
If they decide to let him walk, both sides could see improvement
Atlanta, as currently constructed, has a pretty loaded forward room. If Kuminga were to be brought back, even after declining his option, there wouldn't be much of a path for the immediate development of Asa Newell, Mo Gueye, and even Zuby Ejiofor.
While Kuminga, of course, is a better player than each of the three at this stage in their careers, the Hawks need them to develop properly.
If they did end up bringing him back, though, and kept each of those guys behind him, it could naturally decrease the reliance on Kuminga, too. His role would minimize.
The Kuminga-Atlanta saga is far from over, even if he never plays another minute here.
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