Jonathan Kuminga #0 was traded by the Warriors to the Atlanta Hawks
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Jonathan Kuminga #0 was traded by the Warriors to the Atlanta Hawks
The Golden State Warriors lost 126-110 to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night in what was supposed to be Jonathan Kuminga‘s revenge game. On the court, however, it did not go to plan. Kuminga finished with just two points on 1-of-9 shooting, and Kristaps Porzingis did not even suit up.
Nevertheless, after the final buzzer, there was a moment worth noting. Kuminga and Stephen Curry found each other on the court and had a long conversation. The cameras caught it, and the questions followed in the postgame media session.
Kuminga’s answer was warm and straightforward.
Kuminga Speaks on Curry Conversation After the Game
GettyJonathan Kuminga of the Atlanta Hawks drives to the basket against the Golden State Warriors.
Asked about what was said between the two, Kuminga did not hesitate. “That’s my guy,” he said. “We were just chopping it up. I was just checking in, seeing how he’s doing.”
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Curry missed his 20th straight game on Saturday with runner’s knee and has already been ruled out for Monday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks. He will be re-evaluated again on Wednesday ahead of Golden State’s matchup with the Brooklyn Nets. The timeline remains unclear, and meanwhile, with the Warriors now 33-38 and sitting tenth in the West, every game without him feels critical.
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Nevertheless, the fact that Kuminga sought him out after the game says something about where the relationship stands now that the business side of things is settled. Whatever tensions existed during their time together in Golden State, both men appeared genuinely happy to see each other on Saturday night.
Joseph Dycus
“I’m here, very happy, doing great.”
Jonathan Kuminga talks his relationship with the Warriors, thoughts on Kerr’s statements, role with Hawks and more.
The Curry-Kuminga Dynamic
The relationship between Curry and Kuminga during their time together in Golden State was never fully transparent. Neither player ever publicly said anything negative about the other. However, the tensions in that locker room during the later years were well documented.
Perhaps the most notable example came before Game 7 of the 2023 playoff series against the Sacramento Kings, when Curry delivered a speech urging the team to buy in. At the time, reports suggested the message was directed at players who had been unhappy with their roles, with Kuminga among those cited.
Whether frustrations existed on either side has never been confirmed. What is clear is that when the trade went through last month, Curry spoke about his former teammate with genuine warmth. “JK is going to be a stud for the Hawks,” Curry said. “Especially pairing him with Jalen Johnson. That’s for sure going to be something to watch these next couple years.”
Saturday’s conversation on the court felt like a natural extension of that.
𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐉𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧
Steph Curry recently on Jonathan Kuminga new career in Atlanta:
“JK is going to be a stud for the Hawks. Especially pairing him with Jalen Johnson. Thats for sure going to be something to watch these next couple years.”
What the Result Means for the Warriors
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The loss sent the Warriors five games below .500 for the first time in two seasons, and Golden State has now lost 10 of their last 12 games. The third quarter was the turning point. After coming out of halftime with five turnovers in their first handful of possessions, Atlanta outscored the Warriors 39-20 and turned a 63-61 halftime deficit into something irretrievable inside five minutes.
Meanwhile, Dyson Daniels stepped up for Atlanta with 28 points in the absence of injured Hawks star Jalen Johnson. Kuminga’s quiet night did not matter in the end. Rather than being the story, he was simply part of a Hawks side that won their 12th game in 13 outings and currently sit sixth in the Eastern Conference at 39-32.
Final Word for the Warriors
The play-in race is slipping away. Meanwhile, the roster is depleted and Curry remains sidelined.
Nevertheless, Kuminga checked in on his former teammate after beating him by 16. Whatever happened between them in Golden State, Saturday suggested there are no hard feelings on either side.
The Warriors need Curry back. Everything else can wait.