Grading Jalen Johnson's contract extension: Hawks save time & (most likely) money

The early bird gets the worm.

As the clock ticked and the window for action closed, Atlanta Hawks general manager Landry Fields beat it to ensure they have one of the league’s most promising talents locked up.

Fourth-year forward Jalen Johnson was among the remaining 2021 NBA Draft class members still vying for a rookie extension. Rather than let the season play out in what could have been a costly decision, the Hawks joined the trend and signed Johnson to a multi-year extension.

“Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson has agreed to a five-year, $150 million rookie contract extension with the franchise, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and representative Lucas Newton told ESPN,” ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on X on October 21. “Major new deal for Atlanta’s young cornerstone.”

Johnson was the Hawks’ biggest piece of lingering business.

Hawks get A+ with $150 million contract extension for Jalen Johnson

This is 100% a bargain for the Hawks even with Johnson usurping De’Andre Hunter as the second highest-paid player on the roster behind three-time All-Star Trae Young.

Johnson enjoyed a veritable breakout season in 2023-24 with 16.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. His slash line – .511/.355/.728 – belies his true effectiveness for large swaths of the season even after injuries took their toll.

Health was his only hindrance.

Johnson dealt with a wrist and nagging ankle injuries, keeping him from contention for the Most Improved Player award under the NBA’s updated qualification guidelines.

He has set out to improve his durability for the upcoming season and beyond, and his production in the preseason – 16.7/7.3/1.7 with 2.0 steals on a .690/.875/1.000 line – is an encouraging sign for the upcoming campaign.

But the Hawks get an “A+” for this deal because they beat the clock and, likely, saved money.

The narrative around negotiations between the two sides was that there had been little movement through the weekend with the deadline looming.

Hawks likely saved millions by extending Jalen Johnson now

Letting Johnson get to and through the season would have given him every opportunity to assert his role as the Hawks’ second-best player behind Young. That void was created by the trade sending Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans this offseason.

Johnson has the profile physically, mentally, and with his skill set to fill that role and then some.

Teams were already keeping a close watch on the situation even with Johnson headed for restricted free agency without an extension.

That would have given the Hawks the right of first refusal in the event Johnson signed an offer sheet with another team. Bottom line is, Johnson was likely never going anywhere. That the Hawks got a deal done with very little fuss is a win. 

Potentially saving tens of thousands of dollars on a budding star pushes the deal over the top.