Amidst the Atlanta Hawks' busy offseason, Jalen Johnson has slipped under the radar.
Johnson has been one of the league's most intriguing young stars in recent memory, piecing together an excellent season before falling to injury each of the past two seasons. The 20th pick in the 2021 draft has exceeded all expectations and given Atlanta a second star to build around.
Johnson's scoring improvement has garnered the most attention, vaulting from 5.6 points per game to 16.0 and 18.9 over the past three seasons. He is an elite slashing threat who fits perfectly alongside a ball-dominant Trae Young.
But what makes Johnson a special player is his all-around skillset. Johnson averaged 10.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.0 blocks in a special start to last season. Johnson placed in the top 20 in both rebounds and steals per game last season and in the top 50 in assists and blocks per game.
Johnson could blossom into Atlanta's best player over this contract
The NBA today is perhaps more stylistically diverse than ever before. When looking at the recent Conference Champions, however, it is clear that two roles are a critical need for any contending team. The team first needs its dominant scorer who can take over games when necessary. Atlanta found this player years ago in Young.
The second need is a do-it-all wing player. Jalen Williams, Pascal Siakam, and Aaron Gordon all played a crucial part in their respective teams' playoff runs in this role. Jalen Johnson has given reason to believe he would thrive in this role with a loaded roster to support him.
Johnson's greatest strength is his electrifying transition ability, which is the synthesis of his all-around game. Johnson's elite rebounding and defensive playmaking give him countless opportunities to push the break. His ability as a ball handler and point forward is then put on full display, surgically exposing the transition defense's weakness.
Transition isn't just a flashy part of the game - it is the key to an efficient offense. For all of basketball history, the fast break has been the best play in basketball. Teams that run in transition more than their competitors tend to have better offenses. With Johnson leading the break flanked by elite shooters and gritty slashers, the Hawks could exceed expectations next season by leaning into a transition-based offensive identity.
Johnson's X-factor heading into next season is his shooting. After improving to 35.5% in 2023-24, he dropped to 31.2% last season. Last season was a short sample, but this clip needs to improve next year. He's already shown he can be at least an average shooter, with the potential to continue his improvement into his second contract. If he can maintain league-average shooting, Johnson will develop into one of the best second stars in the NBA.