Atlanta Hawks: Was Jalen Johnson drafted to the wrong team?

The Atlanta Hawks have gotten rave reviews for their offseason. Not just from us either, though we have been beating that drum for some time. In reality, they have done just about everything right in the weeks since the 2021 season ended. So it stands out when they receive poor marks for one of their moves.

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has labeled Jalen Johnson of the ‘NBA Rookies Drafted to the Wrong Team’.

"“While joining a playoff-bound team like the Hawks will have its perks, limited available minutes and no path to rise up the depth chart could work against Johnson.”"

The Atlanta Hawks and Jalen Johnson can benefit from each other in the short and long term

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First, the NBA Draft took place before the start of free agency. It was just three days, but still. Teams had to operate with uncertainty with their own free agents and John Collins was reportedly going to be a hot commodity.

The Hawks offer was ultimately enough to keep those suitors at bay but the logic for the pick becomes more obvious.

Additionally, Atlanta was one of the most injured teams last season and had to go through the majority of the 2021 season without their best perimeter defenders.

Even if he struggles to get regular minutes, Johnson can bring that off of the bench almost immediately.

In the long run, his versatility will bring an entirely new dynamic to the Hawks offense. Speaking with The Athletic, Johnson spoke on all of the ways he can impact the game.

"“I’m 6-foot-9, maybe 6-10 with the ability to pass like a point guard. I see things happen before they happen. I bring a lot of things to the table at such a different size. People aren’t used to seeing things I can do at my size. You see guys my size being able to shoot and push on the break or you might see someone my size being able to rebound the ball well but can’t handle the ball well. I bring a great variety of things to the table. I’m so versatile. I can create for others. I can create my own shot. There are so many things that I bring that not a lot of people bring.”"

This was the same interview in which Johnson declared himself as the best player in the draft so some of the other great tidbits got buried. But for a player who came in with maturity issues, Johnson sure has a lot of self-awareness in regards to his fit.

"“There’s a lot of experience on this team, so I’m going to sit back and learn. Whenever my number is called, I’m going to be ready. I’m not really worried about any of that. I just want to learn from the best on the team and learn from the guys ahead of me. I just want to continuously work because it’s the one thing I can control. I can’t really control how many minutes I’m getting. That’s up to the coaches. I’m going to stay working hard and stay ready for when my number is called.”"

Would Johnson have gotten more playing time elsewhere? Possibly. But, as he said of not being drafted in the lottery, some guys have gotten that time early and still flamed out.

With the Hawks, Johnson enters what has become one of the best player development outfits in the entire NBA. A designation strengthened by Johnson’s arrival.