ATLANTA, GA – The Jonathan Kuminga era in Golden State was never easy. From contract disputes to role dissatisfaction, the 23-year-old forward’s time with the Warriors was a constant tug-of-war between potential and circumstance. He wanted more minutes. Steve Kerr wanted him to earn them. And in the end, the relationship that never quite clicked ended with a trade deadline deal that sent Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta for Kristaps Porzingis.
Now, as Kuminga prepares to face his former team for the first time since the trade, Kerr is speaking openly about what went wrong—and what he hopes comes next.
Steve Kerr Jonathan Kuminga revenge game Warriors vs Hawks
The Kerr Perspective
Speaking with Nick Friedell of The Athletic ahead of Saturday’s Warriors-Hawks matchup, Kerr didn’t sugarcoat the situation. He also didn’t assign blame. Instead, he offered a nuanced reflection on a partnership that simply didn’t work.
“Steve Kerr still wants Jonathan Kuminga to succeed,” Friedell wrote. “He always did. He believes in his talent. He still believes that talent can blossom in the NBA, but the professional relationship between the athletic 23-year-old swingman and the Golden State Warriors just didn’t work.”
Kerr coached Kuminga for four and a half seasons. He watched him develop from a raw prospect into a player capable of explosive performances. But he never gave him the 30-35 minutes per night that Kuminga craved. And eventually, that disconnect became untenable.
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The Circumstance Argument
Kerr’s most revealing comments came when he explained why Kuminga never reached his potential in Golden State.
“I will tell you, the optimal circumstance for JK when he entered the NBA would have been to go to a bad team,” Kerr said. “Instead, he came to a championship team. But the way to develop in this league is to play 30, 35 minutes every night, make your mistakes, learn from your mistakes, grow, be able to do it out of the spotlight. And he wasn’t able to do any of those things (here), and I recognize that. That’s why I’m really hoping that the change in scenery will be what he needed.”
It’s a striking admission. Kerr is essentially saying that Kuminga’s talent wasn’t the problem. The circumstances were. He came to a team that was still trying to win championships, not one that could afford to let a young player work through mistakes on the floor.
The Trade
In February, the Warriors moved Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta for Kristaps Porzingis. At the time, the trade was viewed as a gamble—Porzingis had his own injury concerns, and Kuminga’s potential was still tantalizing.
But Kerr sees it as a move that made sense for both sides.
“I think the trade was a good one,” Kerr said. “Both guys are very talented. I think everything in the NBA is circumstantial. I think players need the right set of circumstances to thrive. And the trade made sense because these were not the right circumstances for JK.”
He added that with the Kuminga situation, “This is kind of how the NBA works.” No hard feelings. Just business.
The Box Score Check
Even now, Kerr is keeping tabs on his former player.
“He still checks on the young forward’s box scores,” Friedell reported, “and is still hoping for his success in the league, despite not being on the Warriors anymore.”
That’s the mark of a coach who truly cares about his players. Kerr didn’t give Kuminga what he wanted in Golden State. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t want him to succeed elsewhere.
The Atlanta Chapter
Since arriving in Atlanta, Kuminga’s journey has been bumpy. He’s played in just six games for the Hawks, sidelined multiple times with the same knee injury that plagued him in Golden State.
When he’s played, he’s shown flashes of what made him such a tantalizing prospect. In his first two games with Atlanta, he scored 44 points with 16 rebounds and seven assists. Overall, he’s averaging 14.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists on 56.6% shooting.
But the injury has limited his sample size, and questions about his future remain.
The Contract Situation
According to a report from Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, the Hawks are expected to decline Kuminga’s $24.3 million team option for 2026-27 in order to negotiate a longer-term agreement.
“There is mutual interest, league sources say, for the Hawks to potentially decline their 2026-27 team option on Kuminga valued at $24.3 million in order for the sides to hash out a longer-term agreement,” Fischer reported.
That would be a significant commitment from Atlanta—and a sign that they believe Kuminga can be part of their future.
The Revenge Game
Kuminga is expected to miss Friday’s game against the Houston Rockets for rest, but he’s slated to return Saturday against his former team. It’s the kind of “revenge game” narrative that fans love—a chance for a young player to show his old team what they’re missing.
But if Kerr’s comments are any indication, there’s no animosity on the Warriors’ side. They wanted it to work. It just didn’t.
The Butler Perspective
Former Warriors teammate Jimmy Butler, now with the Hawks, offered his own thoughts on Kuminga’s fresh start.
“He’s smiling. He’s playing at a high level,” Butler said. “I would think that’s what everybody wants from him anyways, whether they’re in his team, or whether they’re here. They want him to be the best version of himself, I believe that.”
The Bottom Line
Jonathan Kuminga’s time in Golden State didn’t work out. He wanted a bigger role. Kerr couldn’t give it to him. The circumstances weren’t right.
But now he’s in Atlanta, with a chance to write a new chapter. He’s playing for a team that can afford to let him grow, a team that believes in his potential, a team that might be willing to invest in him long-term.
And Steve Kerr, for his part, is watching from afar, hoping that this time, it works.
“I want the best for him,” Kerr said.
That’s the kind of closure that doesn’t always happen in professional sports. But for Kuminga and Kerr, it’s enough.