Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga has become one of the most enigmatic players in the NBA. Few dispute the appeal of his impressive combination of size, athleticism, and scoring proficiency, but his inconsistency has caused many to downplay his potential.
If the Hawks' Apr. 8 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers proved anything, however, it's that Atlanta desperately needs Kuminga if it hopes to compete in the playoffs.
The Hawks fell 122-116 to the Cavaliers in a disappointing first leg of a home-and-home that could act as a postseason preview. If the regular season were to end today, they would meet in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
Though a six-point loss does little to suggest that Atlanta would be in over its head, there were two key developments that left many scratching their heads.
For one, Atlanta looked lost after halftime, allowing Cleveland to dominate the third quarter by a margin of 44-20. More alarmingly, however, was the fact that Jalen Johnson turned in one of his worst performances of the season, shooting 4-of-16 from the field and 0-of-5 from beyond the arc in a clash with reigning Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley.
Thankfully, Kuminga went off to the tune of 24 points, six rebounds, and three assists on 11-of-20 shooting from the field—a friendly reminder of the critical role he plays.
Jonathan Kuminga is Hawks' best forward scorer after Jalen Johnson
Most would agree that Johnson struggling is an uncommon occurrence. He's averaging 22.6 points per game on a rather efficient slash line of .488/.349/.788 that certainly implies he can put up star-quality scoring numbers with reasonable consistency.
The unfortunate truth that can't be overlooked, however, is that Johnson is shooting just 37.0 percent from the field on isolation plays in 2025-26.
With this in mind, the postseason could prove challenging to the Hawks' franchise player. Mobley is an elite defender, and even if Atlanta plays a different team entirely in the first round, rival coaches will attempt to limit Johnson's open court and off-ball opportunities.
That could hamstring the Hawks on offense, as Johnson is the team's leading scorer. Thankfully, Kuminga is the perfect player to take pressure off of his star teammate.
Jalen Johnson struggles as an isolation scorer, meaning Jonathan Kuminga must step up
However fans may feel about the rest of his game, Kuminga is a proven commodity as a scorer. He boasts a career average of 20.3 points per 36 minutes on 50.3 percent shooting from the field, and has averaged 12.1 points in 23.1 minutes on .468/.354/.713 shooting in 2025-26.
Though Kuminga still has issues he needs to resolve in his own right, his ability to heat up quickly and put points on the board should take pressure off of Johnson.
It's also worth noting that Kuminga has thrived in a postseason setting before. He had three games with at least 17 points when the Warriors won the 2022 NBA championship, and averaged 24.3 points on .554/.389/.720 shooting during his final four appearances in the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
With Johnson due to face extreme defensive pressure and the Hawks lacking ideal scoring depth at the forward positions, Kuminga is nothing short of an essential member of Atlanta's postseason roster.