Soaring Down South

Newly-minted Atlanta Hawks point guard, Kingston Flemings, impressed many scouts during his time in the NBA Summer League. The Thomas & Mack Center served as the stage for his stellar playmaking and decision-making. Now, he has the chance to steal the show in a draft class headlined by a four-headed monster. He's likely going to shine in the second unit One of Atlanta’s biggest weaknesses last season was the lack of playmaking from their guard room.

While it does comes as a bit of a disappointment, on the surface, that the Atlanta Hawks were unable to bring back Jonathan Kuminga in free agency - his departure is set to open the door for a variety of forwards who have been patiently waiting their turn. Could they have used another year behind Kuminga as they further get adjusted to the speed and physicality of the NBA? Sure. But there's no better way to develop than to get on the floor.

And just like that, the Jonathan Kuminga era in Atlanta is over. Just 16 regular season games and six postseason games later, both sides have elected for a different direction. Still, even with the drama it's caused this summer, the Hawks shouldn't regret their bold gamble for him just before last season's trade deadline. Yes, Kristaps Porzingis is still really good, but he could never stay healthy and was on an expiring contract.

It's common knowledge at this point, but man, the Atlanta Hawks know how to develop players. If the organization winning back-to-back Most Improved Players wasn't enough proof, maybe the upcoming campaign for one of their newest additions will be the icing on the cake. Third time's the charm, even if the first two were undeniable successes.

When the Atlanta Hawks acquired Golden State's Jonathan Kuminga just before last season's trade deadline, it was nothing more than a low-risk bet on upside. They didn't view him as a long-term piece, but if he showed enough in his limited time there, and offseason contract negotiations went well, maybe he could've been. It was a long-shot, but one worth taking. Why not, right?

During the 25-26 season, Quin Snyder helped orchestrate one of the best in-season turnarounds in Atlanta Hawks history. From February 22 to April 3, Atlanta went 18-2, including an 11-game win streak. Before that stretch, the Hawks were 27-31 and 9th in the East. At the end of the stretch, they were 45-33 and 5th in the East, where they would finish the season. Even with that type of turnaround, Snyder didn't receive any love in the Coach of the Year voting.

Finally, a resolution. Jonathan Kuminga - the 23-year-old forward who spent last season with both the Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks - is heading to a surprise Western Conference team. The Minnesota Timberwolves - after a series of jaw-dropping moves - clearly aren't looking to slow down, inking Kuminga to a two-year, $13 million deal.

After months of speculation, rumors and potential sign-and-trade scenarios, Jonathan Kuminga finally has a new home. ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the former Atlanta Hawks forward has signed a two-year, $13 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves that includes a player option, officially bringing his lengthy free agency saga to an end. There was a time when Kuminga returning to Atlanta appeared to be a legitimate possibility.

The Atlanta Hawks drafted Kingston Flemings with the No. 8 pick this summer as the point guard of the future. However, adjusting to the speed and physicality of the NBA game often takes time, and rookies sometimes struggle. As a result, Atlanta wanted more depth in its guard room after the draft and traded for Devin Carter and Ryan Nembhard in two separate deals. Both of these news guards could be cut candidates, as the Hawks have 17 players and only 15 available roster spots.

Jalen Johnson is coming off the best season of his career, and his rapid development has created legitimate excitement about how high his ceiling could eventually become. The 24-year-old averaged 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists while earning his first NBA All-Star selection and All-NBA Third Team honors. Perhaps the most impressive stretch came in December, when Johnson averaged a triple-double for the entire month.