When the Atlanta Hawks traded for Jonathan Kuminga, the two words that even the staunchest of critics couldn't deny as justification for the deal were simple: "Untapped potential." Kuminga unfortunately never seemed to meet Steve Kerr's expectations with the Golden State Warriors, but intrigue remained over an explosively athletic 23-year-old forward who had proven to be a productive scorer.
Three games into Atlanta's first-round series against the New York Knicks, Kuminga has already exceeded expectations and proven exactly where he fits in the Hawks' new hierarchy.
Kuminga began the series with a relatively pedestrian game, posting eight points and four rebounds in 27 minutes during a 113-102 loss. It was a somewhat underwhelming performance, but it was also his first postseason game with a new team.
Kuminga quickly bounced back with a massive Game 2, however, posting 19 points, two steals, and a block in 35 minutes, playing every second of the fourth quarter of a 107-106 upset.
When Game 3 rolled around, all eyes were inevitably on Kuminga as fans and skeptics awaited his follow-up performance. He more than delivered with a statement of a first half, posting 11 points in 12 minutes by the time the second quarter had concluded.
It was the type of stretch that made one thing clear: No matter happened the rest of the game, Kuminga is exactly where he should be. And then he showed out further.
Jonathan Kuminga scores 21 points, makes game-winning steal
Kuminga finished Game 3 with 21 points, four rebounds, two offensive rebounds, one steal, and a block in 28 minutes of play. He shot 9-of-14 from the field, 2-of-5 from three-point range, and 1-of-2 at the free throw line in yet another big game from him.
More importantly: Kuminga was, once again, a featured player during the fourth quarter—and made the late-game steal that allowed the clock to expire and the Hawks to win 109-108.
It doesn't seem to have taken long for Hawks head coach Quin Snyder to begin trusting Kuminga to play season-altering minutes. He's pacing him through the first three quarters, but is seemingly doing so with the intention of conserving his energy for crunch time.
That's not only an endorsement of Kuminga's scoring prowess, but his defensive proficiency and the manner in which he's quickly jelled with his teammates.
Clearly, there's still a long series to be played. As such, games await that will better define Kuminga's offseason momentum. What he's proving during the early stages of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, however, is that the Warriors' view of him was limited in its scope.
Considering he's now scored at least 18 points in six of his past seven playoff games, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised by Kuminga's seemingly inevitable success.
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