The Atlanta Hawks are hoping to become contenders this season, and with the offseason acquisitions of Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Luke Kennard, they are closer to the top of the East than they have been since they made the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021. However, the return of young star Jalen Johnson might be the most important addition to this team this season.
Johnson was on the verge of potentially making the All-Star team last season before suffering a season ending shoulder injury that derailed what looked like a promising season for Atlanta.
Dec 23, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) reacts after a call against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Could Johnson be ready to take the leap to All-Star/All-NBA level? If he is, the Hawks might be a real contender this season.
In a recent article, Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes named Johnson as the biggest “Riser” on the Hawks next season:
“Johnson offered a taste of what he might become in 36 games last year, but a shoulder injury ruined a breakthrough campaign marked by 18.9 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists—all career highs.
He’ll pick up where he left off in his age-24 season, leveraging his overwhelming athleticism, underrated facilitation and rugged interior finishing on a deeper, more dangerous Atlanta Hawks squad.”
Dec 26, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) dunks against the Chicago Bulls in the first quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Johnson has made huge strides for the Hawks the past couple of seasons, and I think it is possible that he could even surpass Trae Young as the best player on the team sooner than later. Our own Rohan Raman laid out the case in an article this week:
“If Johnson is an elite defender and rebounder (10+ rebounds per game) while being a great passer (6+ assists per game) and good scorer (20+ points per game), he’d have an argument for being the best player on the 2025-26 Hawks due to all-around impact. Trae might still have him beat due to his offensive gravity, but respectfully, there isn’t a world where he’s more than a neutral presence on defense. The potential for Johnson to be additive on defense is critical for both his future and the Hawks’ ceiling next season.
The numbers bear out that Johnson already took a leap from the 2023-24 season to make himself into a solid defender. His secondary rim protection was better – he improved in rim points saved per 100 possessions, averaging 1.1 points saved (85th percentile) up from 0.4 (76th percentile) and opponents shot 7% worse at the rim due to his presence (82nd percentile). He also upped his steal numbers to 2 per game (82nd percentile) from 1.7 (72nd percentile). However, the biggest growth in his defense was in his efficacy on contesting shots as a perimeter defender last year. Despite his length and athleticism, Johnson actually hasn’t been all that effective on closeouts for most of his career. Opponents barely shot worse when Johnson closed out on them – he finished in the 63rd percentile for FG% differential while closing out. That drastically changed in 2024-25. Opposing players shot 3.8% worse from the field when Johnson closed out on them, good for the 91st percentile among all forwards.
Suffice to say, it’s ridiculous that Jalen Johnson would barely be considered a top-100 player in the NBA by any metric. He needs to stay healthy and he hasn’t reached his potential yet, but there’s a slim chance the Hawks have already found a worthy successor to Trae Young’s mantle if Young leaves Atlanta next offseason.”
If Johnson stays healthy, he could begin to make a case as an All-NBA player and perhaps the best player on the Hawks.