The Last Word On Jalen Johnson
Anyone put in the same sentence as James as a player obviously has been granted the highest of honors.
That seems to be the mindset that Johnson carried into his 2024-25 campaign. A quarter of the way through the season, the athletic hybrid forward averaged 20.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. In 11 of those 20 games, he had dished out at least five assists; he never went assist-less. After multiple near-triple-double performances, he recorded his first triple-double of the season in a one-point win over the Boston Celtics. Notably, Young did not play that night.
Next season, the stakes will be even higher.
With a lucrative contract extension comes rich expectations and Johnson’s now in the second year of a $150 million deal. Though he’s well-liked by the organization, business is business. If he can’t live up to his billing, he could very well end up on the trade block. Not only does he have to prove the Hawks were right to give him that deal though, he has to help them get back into the playoffs. With that in mind, if Atlanta doesn’t clinch a postseason berth, the ripple effects could be large. The biggest consequence could be the Hawks deciding to move on from Young, who was not offered a contract extension this offseason.
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