The Atlanta Hawks assigned Jalen Johnson and Skylar Mays to the College Park Skyhawks just prior to the matchup with the Grand Rapids Gold. Mays, who has been taking every opportunity given to him was again tremendous. He led the Skyhawks on the court, finishing with a near triple-double with 23 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds.
Cat Barber continued his tremendous performances for the Skyhawks with a near double-double comprising of 18 points and nine assists. Given that the Hawks are in need of playmaking, Barber may be the answer for the varsity squad at the backup point guard position.
However, the game against the Gold had a potential negative impact on what the Hawks are trying to achieve this season. Johnson played just nine minutes against the Gold and had an impressive nine points, four rebounds, and three assists before injuring his ankle.
The Atlanta Hawks need Jalen Johnson to be healthy.
While the Hawks are not focussing on developing players at the moment, they are looking to find the best playing combinations on the floor. With Johnson on the sidelines, this means that the Hawks have one less player to work out who the best combinations on the court are.
The is extremely important for the Hawks at the moment and as they are about to get De’Andre Hunter back from injury with the potential for him to play against the Miami Heat. The future third cornerstone is one of the key defensive anchors of the team and will change the dynamics for the Hawks on both ends of the court.
Given that they have had a terrible start to the season, the Hawks need everyone on deck if they are going to be able to turn things around. Without Johnson to insert into the lineup, his ability to break into the rotation during a potential shakeup is now diminished.