The Atlanta Hawks are seemingly already doing victory laps over their mid-season trade with the Golden State Warriors that saw them acquire talented young forward Jonathan Kuminga.
If Hawks fans chanting "Thank you, Warriors" wasn't enough at home games last month, veteran guard CJ McCollum has now taken a jab at Golden State over their handling of Kuminga after the 23-year-old helped Atlanta to a second-straight thrilling victory in their first-round series against the New York Knicks.
CJ McCollum takes swipe at Warriors handling of Jonathan Kuminga
Kuminga played a huge role in helping the Hawks to a lead for the majority of Thursday's Game 3 at State Farm Arena, but it was McCollum who hit the game-winner in the final 15 seconds of a 109-108 win.
Kuminga helped disrupt the final Knicks possession where they didn't even get up a shot, drawing more plaudits from analysts and fans around the league for his impact on a pair of victories as the Hawks take a surprise 2-1 series lead.
McCollum spoke highly of Kuminga's game after the win, and even acknowledged that he has "championship DNA coming from the Warriors." While that may have been complimentary of the franchise, McCollum didn't miss in stating, "He was in a not so great situation and now he's found a happy home."
CJ McCollum on Jonathan Kuminga: “He has championship DNA coming from the Warriors. The athleticism is off the charts. He’s got a mid-range. He knows how to post up, screen, and defensively, he can guard 1-5. He was in a not so great situation and now he's found a happy home.” pic.twitter.com/xvGetEdbLn
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) April 24, 2026
This is hardly a controversial statement considering the drama that surrounded Kuminga and Golden State throughout his nearly five-year tenure at the franchise, but it's still glaring when it's coming from one of his new teammates and an experienced veteran within the league.
Acknowledging such things publicly is a telltale sign that McCollum and his Hawks teammates are thrilled with the early results of the trade, having given up veteran center Kristaps Porzingis who appeared in just 17 games with the franchise after being acquired last season.
Porzingis did get healthier and appeared in 17 games (15 regular season and two Play-In) following the trade, but his solid play and the new offensive dimension the Latvian gave the Warriors wasn't enough to secure a playoff berth.
Hawks are showing consistent faith in Jonathan Kuminga
Kuminga's 19 and 21-point performances have certainly been impressive over the last two games, but it's the faith the Hawks are showing in him in the biggest moments -- and the subsequent impact the 23-year-old is having during those stages -- that might be the most startling difference from his time with Golden State.
Kuminga has played in all but 30 seconds of a possible 24 fourth-quarter minutes over the past two games, demonstrating the trust from head coach Quin Snyder whose team has been rewarded with back-to-back one-point wins.
Warrior fans are being left more bemused by the contrasting handling of Kuminga by Steve Kerr and the franchise, while McCollum is certainly willing to provide a reminder of that publicly.
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