The Hawks' offense is humming magnificently over the first three games of the season.
Despite losing to the Rockets in a heartbreakingly close game on Saturday, the Hawks' offense has out-performed every single other team in one extremely telling category - assists per game.
Atlanta currently sits at a shocking 33.3 assists per game, good for first in the league, and it's all thanks to the new offensive scheme that began to take root the moment Trae Young was traded near the middle of a tough 2025-2026 season.
The post-Trae era offense has never looked better
Controversially, after the Trae Young deal occurred immediately after the dawn of the new year seeing far less of a return than anticipated, Atlanta's offensive approach changed entirely.
Gone were the days of heavy pick-and-roll offense with Young spearheading attacks nearly every possession he saw the floor, instead replaced by varying opportunities for any one of Atlanta's secondary creators.
In spite of how impressive the Hawks' overall attack has been from their other offensive engines, there's no doubt that Jalen Johnson has morphed into one of the most complete, scary creators any defense hopes to never be forced to contain.
Jalen Johnson's 16-assist performance headlines his most offensively-involved season yet
It's an interesting juxtaposition to the Trae Young era - while Jalen Johnson is charting (by far) his highest USG% in his career, the ball doesn't seem to be sticking nearly as much as year prior while the team was captained by Young.
With secondary creators by the names of Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, CJ McCollum, and even rookie Kingston Flemings, the burden of creating offensive advantages doesn't weigh on Johnson anywhere near the extent it did on Trae Young.
Nevertheless, Johnson has been simply sensational in his role as the primary offensive engine. His USG% sits at a staggering 39.3% (11 percent higher than last year, with each year increasing from the season prior since 2023).
Despite his extreme involvement, Johnson's been able to hit teammates in stride possession after possession - as of now, he's averaging a 22-point triple double on the season.
Look for the new-look Hawks to continue dominating their opponents with their dynamic, motion-heavy offense that continues to prioritize the team rather than any one player on any given evening. While the loss to the Rockets on Saturday did ruin Atlanta's dreams at an 82-0 season, it's far from a setback they can't grow from.
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