Jonathan Kuminga's invaluable expertise makes life much easier for Zaccharie Risacher

Jonathan Kuminga's Atlanta Hawks debut was nothing short of spectacular.

Nobody quite knew what to expect when it was announced he'd be avaliable for Tuesday night's home game, but Kuminga clearly had a goal in mind. Prove everyone wrong. His young career so far has been defined by unfair narratives, shaped by those in the most prominent of positions.

In his long-awaited debut since February's unexpected trade, the 23-year-old forward recorded 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals in just 24 minutes off the bench. He shot a remarkably efficient 9/12 from the field and 3/4 from three. In his second game (and first start as a Hawk), Kuminga dropped 17 points, 9 boards, 3 dimes, a steal, and a block on 5/9 from the field and 6/8 from the charity stripe.

Is this type of nightly production sustainable? Probably not. But, that won't affect his mentality moving forward in his new role. The most important part of his Hawks debut was that he looked happy. In Atlanta, Kuminga's rejuvenated.

Similar to the eventual infamous falling-out between Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors, the Hawks have a young forward who's been in and out of various roles all year. He hasn't had a legitimate opportunity to shine, leaving questions about his future with the organization.

Zaccharie Risacher, the former first-overall pick, was recently removed from the starting five. Despite only being in year two, Head Coach Quin Snyder clearly saw enough to warrant the controversial lineup change.

Kuminga knows Risacher's situation all too well...

Project forwards become the best versions of themselves through consistent minutes. What better way to gain a feel of the court than to be on it? In a year clearly focused on development, Risacher being sent to the second unit proves his leash is shorter than it already was.

If anyone understands what the second-year forward's going through, it's Jonathan Kuminga. Risacher's situation in Atlanta hasn't quite fallen to the degree of nightly DNPs, but a benching sends a similar message.

Many even expected the acquisition of Kuminga to further limit Risacher's minutes. When Jalen Johnson went down with an injury in the first quarter of Tuesday's game, however, Snyder opted to play Kuminga and Risacher together as much as possible.

The duo Hawks fans didn't know they needed. The two young forwards tuned out the outside noise, delivering an epic performance on both ends of the floor. Their chemistry was evident, leaving no doubt about a promising future for the pairing.

"I love Risacher's game," Kuminga told me. "I enjoy watching him every day. I would say just giving him that confidence, every day, trying to uplift him."

Sometimes all a struggling young player needs is a confidence boost from someone who's been in a similar situation. Kuminga continued, "No matter the good or the bad, just try to be there and support him, cause we need him every night."

The unexpected duo was connecting all night. An effective pairing seemed inevitable. In the first quarter, they wasted no time diming each other up, dominating Washington in transition and creating advantages physically.

"So far, things seem to be good, and me and Risacher have been well connected."