What Jonathan Kuminga’s new teammates think of his potential before Hawks debut

Jonathan Kuminga could be close to making his debut with the Atlanta Hawks, as he was upgraded to questionable before their game against the Washington Wizards. The 23-year old forward will soon have a chance to showcase his skillset with his new team, and the players around him seem to be excited about what he can bring to the floor.

Jalen Johnson is one of them.

“JK is a great player,” Johnson said at practice. “I think he’s somebody that’s hungry, and we need that on our team. Adding him is only going to do good things for us. I’m excited to get up and down with him in transition. He’s great defensively. So just being able to add another young guy to the group, I’m excited about it, and I know he’s excited about it.”

Kuminga showed with the Warriors that his athleticism is one of the best traits in his game, and he uses it to get to the basket with ease. That skill will only help make things easier for the Hawks and possibly get them easier shots.

CJ McCollum has seen Kuminga more times than many, and he also knows what he can bring to the floor.

“I’ve played against him being in the Western Conference for a long time,” McCollum said. “He’s athletic, explosive, and a very talented player. I think he got dealt a bad hand in Golden State. I don’t know that situation, to pay him $20 million and not play him is interesting, but I think looking at this situation is a new opportunity for him to grow and develop as a player.

“Obviously, his talent is unquestioned. It’s about joining a team that has so many changes in the last month and a half, us getting familiar with everybody, and going from there.”

With the Warriors, Kuminga didn’t have much room to make mistakes as the team was always looking to compete. With the Hawks, Kuminga should have room to make those mistakes.

Just like with any player joining a new team, there will be an acclimation period for Kuminga to learn his teammates and where he should be when he’s on the court. Head coach Quin Snyder will also have to find lineups that work with Kuminga and give them the best chance to utilize his talents.

With the Hawks looking to make a playoff push in the second half of the season, adding Kuminga to the fold should help their chances, and the hope is that he can prove to be not only a key piece for the next two months but for the future as well.

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