Kerr's assessment of Kuminga's Warriors tenure: The fit was poor, making it tough to compete for titles while developing him.

On February 6th, Warriors head coach Kerr gave an interview to ESPN discussing Kuminga's five-year career with the Warriors. In an earlier trade, Kuminga and Hield were traded to the Hawks for Porzingis.

"I think it was a tough spot for everyone," Kerr explained, "He came in very unpolished, and we were still in the midst of a championship run. He needed enough room to make mistakes, to gain NBA experience, and truly understand the league. For him, not being allowed to err was very hard; for us coaches, trying to win a title while also developing him was tricky. That’s just how it was."

Kerr also said, "Everyone likes him, myself included. He’s genuinely a great person, very approachable, and well-liked in the locker room. I can only say the fit between both sides was just really poor."

Previously, ESPN commented on this trade: "After spending five years in a Warriors system that didn’t suit him, with highly inconsistent playing time, Kuminga’s trade value has significantly declined. There were reports this summer that the Kings were willing to give up a lottery-protected first-round pick to acquire him, but since the Kings acquired Hunter, that possibility has faded. Kuminga has basically become a pure salary-matching asset, and with the slim chances of bringing in Antetokounmpo, the Warriors chose to look elsewhere."

Regarding Kuminga’s fit with the Hawks, ESPN noted: The Hawks’ system aligns more with the NBA’s mainstream style, so it will be interesting to see if Kuminga can integrate there. After all, he still possesses outstanding athleticism. In last year’s playoff series against the Timberwolves, in four games where he played significant minutes, he averaged 24 points with shooting percentages of 55% field goals, 49% three-pointers, and 72% free throws. Clearly, he has solid talent. The Hawks have traditionally favored tall, ball-handling wings and have built many offensive sets around Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels, even though these three players each have different strengths and weaknesses offensively.