The Atlanta Hawks have been rolling as of late, winners of 11 straight games after Wednesday's road victory over the Dallas Mavericks. This was a strong game from newly acquired wing Jonathan Kuminga, who scored 16 points, including an unbelievable shot from nearly full court, in the win.
Kuminga has had a solid tenure in Atlanta so far after being sent there along with Buddy Hield from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for big man Kristaps Porzingis, and now, more information is coming to light on what the future might hold between Atlanta and Kuminga.
“There is mutual interest between the Hawks and Jonathan Kuminga on declining his 2026-27 team option valued at $24.3 million and agreeing to a long-term contract,” reported Fullcourtpass on X, formerly Twitter, citing a report from NBA insider Jake Fischer.
It certainly makes sense why Atlanta would have interest in keeping the former 2021 lottery pick for the long haul, considering his youth, athleticism, and potential to get even better. Kuminga fits Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh of building a team full of athletic wings who can play multiple positions and switch defensively, and the fact that former number one overall pick Zaccharie Risacher has regressed in his second season might make a Kuminga long-term contract a sensible option for Atlanta.
Meanwhile, the Hawks have surged up the Eastern Conference standings amid their winning streak, now just 1.5 games out of the fifth seed, although some skeptics are pointing to the lack of quality teams that Atlanta has played during their streak as reason not to take it seriously.
The Hawks will get a chance to test out their skills against a playoff-caliber opponent on Friday evening when they hit the road to take on the Houston Rockets.
