Inside details on the decision to draft Jonathan Cummings over Franz Wagner
Recently, the Golden State Warriors decided to shake things up merchant Jonathan Cumminga and Buddy Hield to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis. The move officially ends the strained relationship between Kuminga and Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, which has resulted in several benchings this season
The Warriors took Cummings seventh overall in the 2021 NBA Draft and in the process traded on multiple future All-Stars, including Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner and Atlanta Hawks forward Jaylen Johnson. Recently, ESPN’s Anthony Slater explained how close the Warriors came to selecting Wagner.
“There was a group of coaches on staff who attended Wagner’s practice, team sources said, and came away adamant that he would be an ideal fit and would fit into Kerr’s system,” Slater reported on ESPN.com.
However, “then-assistant coach Kenny Atkinson led practice and maintained a strong belief in Cummings during his final days with the organization,” he added.
Team owner Joe Lacob was also reportedly in the Kuminga camp before the draft.
“Lacob pushed for his preferred option, team sources said. Myers and Dunleavy, then assistant GMs, had no objection,” Slater reported.
Kuminga has shown some signs of promise during his tenure in Golden State, showing off his elite athleticism and defensive versatility. However, his inability to adapt to Kerr’s system over the years, as well as Kerr’s seeming willingness to let personal feuds dictate rotation decisions, ultimately left his tenure with the Warriors feeling like a disappointment.
Now Kuminga will get a chance to play with the Hawks, who are looking to build a good supporting cast around Johnson. In the meantime, the Warriors will pray that Porzingis is able to stay healthy, something that hasn’t happened during his short tenure in Atlanta.
The Warriors take to the floor Wednesday night at home against the San Antonio Spurs.
2026-02-11 17:07:00
