Jonathan Kuminga’s brief stint in Atlanta is over.

The Hawks reportedly declined Kuminga’s $24.3 million team option Monday, making the former Warriors forward an unrestricted free agent, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported, citing sources.

The Atlanta Hawks are declining Jonathan Kuminga’s $24.3 million team option, making him a free agent, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/Zu57MTTp3g

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2026

The decision was not a surprise. The Hawks had canvassed the league in recent weeks to gauge Kuminga’s trade value, and analyst John Hollinger’s BORD$ valuation system had projected his market value well below the $24.3 million figure attached to the option — making the decision a financially straightforward one for a front office committed to building around Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels.

Kuminga appeared in 16 games for Atlanta after arriving from Golden State in February, averaging 12.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in 22.1 minutes per game.  He flashed his upside immediately — scoring 27 points in his Hawks debut — but his production leveled off, and a 5-of-24 showing from 3-point range in Atlanta’s first-round playoff loss to the Knicks underlined the same questions that defined his time with the Warriors.

Declining the option does not necessarily end Kuminga’s relationship with Atlanta. The Hawks can still negotiate a longer-term deal at a lower annual value, and a return remains a real possibility if both sides find agreeable terms.

For now, Kuminga hits the open market for the second consecutive summer — this time with no restrictions on where he can land. The trade that sent him to Atlanta was itself the product of a summer-long contract feud with the Warriors, following years of discontent over his role on the team.

However, Kuminga seems to be already commanding interest from the Kings, who, according to Marc J. Spears, reportedly had strong interest in Kuminga before he was traded from the Warriors to the Hawks and are now expected to pursue the free agent forward.

The Sacramento Kings had strong interest in Jonathan Kuminga before he was dealt from the Golden State Warriors to the Atlanta Hawks and are expected to be interested in him now as a free agent.

— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) June 29, 2026

As for a reunion with Golden State — with the Warriors currently pursuing LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the timing could not be more complicated. But in an NBA offseason moving this fast, nothing is ever fully off the table.

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