Warriors trade Jonathan Kuminga to Hawks on eve of deadline
PHOENIX – After five tumultuous seasons in the Bay Area, the Warriors finally parted ways with Jonathan Kuminga less than 24 hours before Thursday’s trade deadline.
On Wednesday evening, Golden State sent Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta, in return receiving Kristaps Porzingis, league sources confirmed to The Bay Area News Group. No draft picks were involved in the deal. ESPN’s Shams Charania was the first to report the news.
Kuminga is now expected to be one of the featured offensive stars for his new team, a role he has long craved but rarely received while with the Warriors. The Hawks sent out former star point guard Trae Young to the Wizards a few weeks prior, and have a need for a scoring wing.
In Porzingis, the Warriors bring in one of the league’s best when it comes to possessing a combination of rim protection and shooting ability. Porzingis, 30, is averaging 17.1 points per game and makes 36% of his 3-pointers while standing at 7-foot-2.
However, he has struggled to stay healthy, playing in just 17 games in Atlanta, and in at least 60 games in just one of the past seven seasons. He was an integral part of Boston’s title-winning team next to now-Warriors teammate Al Horford 2023-24.
The trade marks the end of a Kuminga-Warriors partnership that appeared to be over at the end of last season.
After being removed from the rotation by the end of last season – and only returning to a featured role after Steph Curry was lost in the second round with a hamstring injury – Kuminga looked poised to leave the organization.
His agent, Aaron Turner, went on a public media tour as he attempted to drum up interest in his client.
However, a few days after training camp began, Kuminga re-signed with the Warriors on a two-year, $46.5 million contract. He started the team’s first 12 games, but after a strong start, his play faltered and Kuminga was relegated back to the bench.
His playing time slowly diminished before he became a healthy scratch, only making rare appearances. But once Jimmy Butler tore his ACL on Jan. 19, Kuminga made the most of his return to the rotation, scoring 30 points in 30 minutes.
That revival did not last long.
Kuminga buckled his left knee and rolled his ankle on Jan. 22 against the Mavericks. He was later diagnosed with a bone bruise after undergoing an MRI.
The injury cut short Kuminga’s surprising return to the court after missing 16 consecutive games, mostly as a healthy scratch, and demanding a trade away from the Warriors on Jan. 15, the first day he could be traded after signing his extension in September.
Overall, he has played just seven games since going out with knee tendinitis on Nov. 12, and now has a chance at a fresh start with the Hawks.
A few minutes after Kuminga’s trade news broke, Charania also reported that third-year Warriors center Trayce Jackson-Davis was sent to Toronto for a 2026 second round pick.
Because the Warriors sent out three players and brought back only one, that opened up space for Golden State to sign two-way player Pat Spencer to a fulltime contract. He was one game away from reaching the 50-game limit for two-way players.