The Golden State Warriors finally traded Jonathan Kuminga last week, ending his dramatic five-season stint with the team.
His new club, the Atlanta Hawks, is absolutely loving it.
The Hawks parted with Kristaps Porzingis to get Kuminga, giving both veterans a chance at a fresh start. The 23-year-old who came into the NBA out of high school is taking full advantage of that so far. In his first game with the Hawks, he put up 27 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals in 24 minutes. He followed that up with 17 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists in his second game.
On Sunday, Kuminga scored 20 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and picked up 2 steals in a 135-101 win against the Portland Trail Blazers, Atlanta’s third in a row since he arrived. No wonder a group of Hawks fans started chanting “Thank you, Warriors” at one point.
They weren’t the only ones happy about Kuminga’s arrival. Hawks legend and TV commentator Dominique Wilkins also mockingly thanked the Warriors following a particularly impressive windmill dunk.
“Oh man! Thank you, Golden State Warriors. We appreciate it!” exclaimed Wilkins. “How you give up on a guy that young with that ability is beyond me.”
“Oh, Atlanta, we got something special,” added announcer Bob Rathbun.
It’s only three games, but it appears the trade is working out very well for the Hawks and Kuminga, and the Warriors are going to hear about it for a long time.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.