Recently, the Golden State Warriors opted to shake things up by trading Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis. The move officially ended the strained relationship between Kuminga and Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, which had resulted in several benchings this season
The Warriors took Kuminga at seventh overall back in the 2021 NBA Draft, and they passed on multiple future All-Stars in the process, including Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner and Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson. Recently, Anthony Slater of ESPN broke down how close the Warriors were to selecting Wagner.
“There was a group of coaches on the staff who attended Wagner's workout, team sources said, and came away adamant he'd be an ideal choice and fit in Kerr's system,” reported Slater on ESPN.com.
However, “Then-assistant coach Kenny Atkinson ran the workout and maintained strong belief in Kuminga through his final days with the organization,” he added.
Team owner Joe Lacob was also reportedly in the Kuminga camp leading up to the draft.
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“Lacob pushed for his preferred option, team sources said. Myers and Dunleavy, then an assistant GM, didn't object,” reported Slater.
Kuminga showed some signs of promise during his tenure with Golden State, flashing his elite athleticism and defensive versatility. However, his inability to adapt to Kerr's system over the years, as well as Kerr's seeming willingness to let personal feuds dictate rotational decisions, ultimately left his Warriors tenure feeling like a disappointment.
Now, Kuminga will get a chance to play with the Hawks, who are looking to build a good supporting cast around Johnson. Meanwhile, the Warriors will be praying that Porzingis will be able to stay healthy, something that did not occur during his brief tenure in Atlanta.
The Warriors will next hit the floor on Wednesday night at home against the San Antonio Spurs.