Following an electrifying week of trades, Jonathan Kuminga has found a new home. With the Golden State Warriors as motivated to move on from him as ever, the former seventh overall pick will now suit up for the Atlanta Hawks. As he remains out with a knee bone bruise he sustained at the end of January, he’s yet to make his official team debut. However, Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh spoke at length about why he’s excited about the young forward’s arrival.

In short, Saleh is of the mindset that the 23-year-old fits the timeline of a redefined core led by Jalen Johnson. To that point, Johnson is now the face of the Hawks at 24 years old after usurping their former franchise point guard. Ironically, that’s the same fate that Warriors owner Joe Lacob wanted for Kuminga.

Warriors Owner Joe Lacob Saw Hawks’ Jonathan Kuminga As Future Face Of The Franchise

Lacob “had bonded with Kuminga at a Miami dinner during the 2021 predraft process and gripped onto the idea that Kuminga could still become a face of the franchise’s next era at several forks in the road,” ESPN insider Anthony Slater reports.

Fair or foul, the coaching staff “didn’t desire to execute” Lacob’s vision.

The reason? Kerr saw Kuminga in the mold of Shawn Marion and Aaron Gordon. In Kerr’s opinion, the young forward’s “best career stretches came as an energy wing who sprinted the floor, operated out of the dunker spot, rebounded, defended with versatility and didn’t need offense run through him,” Slater writes.

Fair or Foul: Comparing Jonathan Kuminga to Shawn Marion, Aaron Gordon

Honestly, Kerr comparing Kuminga to Marion or Gordon isn’t as insulting as it might otherwise seem.

Ironically, Marion was a four-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection who earned MVP votes while with the Phoenix Suns. From 2000-01 to 2006-07, he averaged 19.3 points on 16.2 field goal attempts per game. Gordon, the fourth overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, hasn’t earned any individual accolades outside of the Slam Dunk Contest. However, he was the face of the Orlando Magic by the time they traded him to the Denver Nuggets.

Yet, based on the way he wanted Kuminga to play, he wasn’t talking about their heydays. As Marion exited his physical prime, he became more of a complementary piece praised for his defense and versatility than a featured scorer. After Gordon was traded to the Nuggets, his multi-positional defense and multi-faceted tool kit were bigger factors than his scoring.

In those roles, Marion and Gordon both won championships. At the same time, it’s a matter of debate as to whether they needed to take a backseat for their teams to do so.

During the 2011 Western Conference Finals and the 2011 NBA Finals, Marion was third in scoring on the Dallas Mavericks, behind Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry. Yet, while Terry came off the bench every game during that playoff run, Marion started every game. In that sense, Marion was actually the Mavs’ second option.

There’s no doubt that Jamal Murray is the Nuggets’ second option behind Nikola Jokic. Even so, Gordon was tied for third in scoring in two of Denver’s series during their title run, similar to Marion. He also started every game. This season, Gordon has averaged a career-high 17.7 points per game, the Nuggets going 16-4 in those contests.

The Last Word on Steve Kerr’s Perception of Jonathan Kuminga

Maybe Kerr wasn’t trying to slight Kuminga. Either way, the headstrong hooper’s heart hardened with “his belief that Kerr and general manager Mike Dunleavy would only ever view him as a run-fast, jump-high athlete without the requisite skill to be a lead option.” Consequently, he made an official trade demand that was met with jeers and cheers across The Association.

Now with the Hawks, everyone is wonder whether he’ll take flight in Atlanta, or if Kerr was right after all.

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