One storyline that has flown under the radar this season is Jalen Johnson's emergence. Johnson, who was the cheapest All-Star in 2026 who was not still on their rookie contract, offers a unique opportunity for the Hawks to start building around him moving forward.
In a league where an All-Star-caliber player typically entails a hefty price tag, Jalen Johnson, only in the first year of his 5-year, $150 million contract, grants the Atlanta front office extreme flexibility this offseason to make big splashes and be more aggressive than the organization usually is.
While this is something that the national media is finally waking up to, the Hawks organization has been clear for a while now: Johnson is their franchise player.
The Trae Young trade was the first domino to fall, signaling the dawn of the Jalen Johnson era. Fast forward to after the All-Star Break, and this Hawks squad has had a mountain of turnover.
This doesn't necessarily mean that Atlanta is clearing their cap to land a big-name player. What it does indicate, however, is that Atlanta is planning on doing something over the next couple of offseasons, whatever that may be.
After the All-Star Game, a couple of clips began circulating showing a close bond between Jalen Johnson and Timberwolves superstar Anthony Edwards, and the media has since run rampant with this idea. Edwards, who is a Georgia native, was seen chatting with Johnson after the game, expressing a desire to "come back home."
However, even with all the subliminal messaging Edwards has been posting on social media and the close ties that he has to the city of Atlanta, it is all just speculation at the end of the day. Still, while nothing has been set in stone, the fans and the media are showing Atlanta the direction they need to be heading.
Building a competent roster is the first step toward building a contending team, but once that's accomplished, we see that our most recent NBA champions have two main stars with strengths and weaknesses that perfectly balance with each other. We saw this last season with the MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, complemented by Chet Holmgren, and two seasons ago with the Boston Celtics, featuring Jayson Tatum, complemented by Jaylen Brown.
Whoever this big piece could potentially be, it's unclear whether Jalen Johnson would be the focal point or the counterpart. Either way, Atlanta's focus right now should be on establishing Johnson as their foundational piece before the offseason, then building from there.
Atlanta is planning for their future with a lot more strategy than it's typically been known for. After so many years of relying on a sole superstar and swinging on lackluster second options, the front office has come to realize that's not a proper championship formula. Fate seems to agree with the Hawks, as it's rare to get the opportunity to build around an All-Star without paying an All-Star price, so Atlanta needs to capitalize on this newfound momentum.
Hawks' fans should be excited for what's coming in Atlanta. Their moves throughout the course of this season haven't just indicated a new era; it's indicated a completely new identity catering to their newest face of the city.