2024-25 Atlanta Hawks Roster Preview: Jalen Johnson

Can the Hawks' second option elevate himself into the frontrunner for the MIP award - and possibly an All-Star berth?

Apr 6, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) drives to the basket past Denver Nuggets guard Reggie Jackson (7) in the second half at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael Ciaglo-Imagn Images / Michael Ciaglo-Imagn Images

Age: 23 (3rd season)

Height, Weight: 6'9, 220 lbs

2023-24 Averages: 16 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists on 51.1%/35.5%/72.% splits (56 games)

Career Averages:  9.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists on 50.6%/32.8%/69.4% splits (148 games)

The development of Jalen Johnson is arguably the most important part of the Atlanta Hawks' future. It could be the key to keeping Trae Young in Atlanta while also giving the Hawks one of the hardest-to-acquire talents in the game: a two-way forward who can play good defense and score 20+ points per game. The Boston Celtics having two of these players undoubtedly played a role in their 2024 championship run.

Johnson might not be on the tier of Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown, but he made a massive leap from Year 2 to Year 3. He upped his scoring from 5.6 points per game to 16.0 and turned himself into a league-average three-point shooter (35.5% on 3.6 attempts per game). His playmaking also took a jump in Year 3, recording nearly 4 assists on 1.8 turnovers per game.

As a 6'9 power forward, Johnson is best when he's going downhill. He is likely the most explosive athlete on Atlanta's roster and it shows when he goes up for a dunk. He finished the year with a 57.4% shooting percentage on 2-pointers and 69.6% on shots within 0-3 feet of the rim while upping his volume on those attempts. He also more than doubled his 42 dunks from the previous year, recording 98 dunks in 2023-24. By practically every metric, Johnson took strides as a finisher at the basket to become one of the better play finishers in the NBA.

However, Johnson does not just put pressure on the rim. He also showed signs of being able to create for himself as a true three-level scorer. When looking at his shooting data, Johnson interestingly saw his three-point percentages rise on shots as they came later in the shot clock. Between 7-4 seconds, which would be a situation where the defense is putting a lot of pressure on him, he shot 42.9% from three-point range. It was only 8% of his shots from the field, but it provides some support to the idea that he can find his shot even in tight situations.

I am most interested in seeing if his passing can take another step. He is capable of making some high-level reads and is generally a strong passer. The behind-the-back passes he is capable of throwing are a ton of fun to watch. That being said, it would be incredible if Johnson developed into someone capable of running bench lineups. It would take pressure off Trae Young and make the Hawks even tougher to defend. Turning into a capable floor general would be an enormous leap from Johnson, but he has already made one. I find it hard to believe he is not capable of making another.

As a defender, he is the Hawks' best option on that end of the floor. His combination of size and speed allows him to truly guard 1-4 and hold up against centers in certain spots. I think he can be even better this year in the minutes he gets with Dyson Daniels and a presumably healthy DeAndre Hunter. Both can be solid perimeter defenders and allow Johnson to focus on shutting down his matchup. I would also be interested in seeing lineups with him and Onyeka Okongwu as those two work well together on both ends of the floor.

The inclusion of Zaccharie Risacher also poses some interesting questions for Johnson's role in 2024-25. If Risacher's shooting upside carries over in Year 1, Johnson's assists totals could easily go up with Risacher on the receiving ends of those looks. Risacher also showed a solid touch as a passer in Summer Leage, so it will be interesting to see what type of chemistry the wing duo can develop.

It goes without saying that Johnson is a massive force on both the offensive and defensive boards. This is a role that might have greater importance in 2024-25 if the Hawks make the move to start Okongwu at center. Clint Capela is still a great rebounder, so any loss in rebounding will require Johnson to grab more boards.

2024-25 is a pivotal year for Johnson, but he will need to stay healthy to take advantage of it. He missed 26 games last season and Atlanta sorely missed him. It is also a contract year for him, so he has a chance to set himself up for a massive pay day on his rookie-scale extension.

Best-Case Scenario: After being in contention for the award last year, Johnson wins the MIP award as a breakout All-Star and 20+ points-per-game scorer. He shows further growth as a shooter (38% on five attempts a game) and continues playing excellent defense.

Worst-Case Scenario: Due to injuries or regression as a shooter, Johnson struggles to make the same impact that he did in 2023-24. There are still tantalizing flashes, but he is unable to put it all together.