Ranking Atlanta Hawks’ top 11 trade assets heading into the offseason
7. Jalen Johnson
As a late first-round pick from the 2021 NBA Draft, Jalen Johnson emerged as a player that cracked the rotation for the Atlanta Hawks this season. He played in 70 regular season games for Atlanta and in all six of the team’s playoff games against the Boston Celtics. With John Collins’ value quickly dropping, you can make the case that Johnson’s is rising. And he could be part of the team’s willingness to move Collins during the offseason.
The counting stats aren’t ground-breaking by any means. During his sophomore season, he averaged six points and four rebounds on 49 percent shooting from the field and 29 percent shooting from 3-point range. Though, he did show promise late in the season.
During the last five regular-season games in April, Johnson averaged 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists per game on 57 percent shooting from the field and 33 percent shooting from 3-point range. If he can build off that heading into next season, there’s no question he could emerge as a solid piece for the Hawks.
The bigger the role he has for the team, the greater the trade value. Because of his potential, Johnson has to be viewed as a strong trade chip for the Hawks heading into the offseason.