Jonathan Kuminga has become one of the most polarizing players in the NBA over the past two seasons. Many believe that the Atlanta Hawks saved him from an unfortunate fate with a team that didn't believe in him, while a seemingly equal number of individuals believe his ceiling has been self-imposed.
Regardless of which truth ultimately prevails, there's one fact that even the Golden State Warriors can't deny: Kuminga getting hot with the playoffs approaching was a borderline inevitability.
Kuminga has appeared in 13 games for the Hawks since the February trade that brought him to Atlanta. During that time, he's averaged 11.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 offensive boards, 0.8 steals, and 1.2 three-point field goals made in 21.4 minutes per game, shooting at a clip of .486/.457/.696.
Those numbers translate to 19.7 points, 8.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2.1 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes—the type of production any team would covet.
Questions have persisted about the quality of his fit in Atlanta, however, with franchise player Jalen Johnson being the star to whom Kuminga must adjust. That uncertainty has inevitably created confusion over what the Hawks should do about his $24.3 million club option.
Thankfully, Kuminga is rounding into postseason form at the perfect time of year and beginning to answer questions about what his future may look like in Atlanta.
Jonathan Kuminga is getting hot right before the playoffs—again
Kuminga has unfortunately dealt with injuries since arriving in Atlanta, which explains some degree of his inconsistency. His past three games have been nothing short of intriguing, however, starting with the 10 points, six rebounds, and two blocks he posted in 23 minutes during a statement win over the Boston Celtics.
A game later, Kuminga tallied 12 points in just 19 minutes in a win over the rival Orlando Magic and then picked up 12 points, one block, and a steal in a blowout victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
Those may not be awe-inspiring stat lines, but he picked them up in performances that averaged out to 21.0 minutes per game. That type of volume in such limited playing time has proven invaluable to a Hawks team that's ranked No. 22 in the NBA in bench scoring since Mar. 1.
Thankfully, Kuminga getting hot around the playoffs isn't a new development, as he averaged 12.2 points in 20.8 minutes per game between the Warriors' final 17 regular season games in 2024-25.
Jonathan Kuminga has a history of going off in the playoffs
That translated well to the postseason when Steve Kerr actually called Kuminga's number. He averaged 15.3 points in 23.4 minutes per game during the 2025 NBA Playoffs, shooting the lights out at a clip of .484/.400/.710.
That escalated once Stephen Curry went down with a season-ending injury, with Kuminga scoring 18 points in 26 minutes during Game 2 of a second-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Kuminga turned it up from there, dropping 30 points on 11-of-18 shooting in Game 3, 23 points in 30 minutes in Game 4, and 26 points in 32 minutes in Game 5—against a team with multiple All-Defense honorees, no less. Kuminga also had three games with at least 17 points during Golden State's run to the 2022 NBA championship.
With Kuminga seemingly doing the same thing in Atlanta that he managed with Golden State a season ago, another big postseason could be on the way.