The Atlanta Hawks have their best shot at a title in a decade this season. After acquiring Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Luke Kennard this offseason, the team has finally assembled a team around Trae Young that is capable of postsesaon success.
For the Hawks to reach their playoff goals, Jalen Johnson will have to prove himself as a legitimate second star. Johnson has made massive developmental gains over the past two seasons, but has remained in a fairly well-defined role as a secondary playmaker at the power forward position.
While the Hawks upgraded their roster, their remaining weaknesses will be emphasized in the postseason. Beneath the star core of Young and Johnson lies a team with questionable offensive creation and a weak small forward rotation.
Johnson is the only player who can reasonably be expected to patch both holes. He was dubbed a point forward as a prospect due to his abnormal playmaking talent at his size. He also could be able to slide into the small forward role if the Hawks experiment with lineups featuring two centers.
Johnson must prove he is a versatile player for the Hawks to succeed
While Johnson has never played as a full-time offensive initiator, there is no reason he cannot thrive in this role. His scoring ability can collapse defenses, and his passing and IQ enable him to dissect the defense with well-executed passes.
The reason Johnson must play a role in the offensive initiation is because his reputation as a scorer directly leads to passing opportunities. The threat of a drive forces defenses to collapse, which creates open looks for his teammates. Without his scoring ability, Johnson would be much less effective playmaker.
An offensive system that prominently features Johnson when Young rests would allow the team to have 48 minutes of excellent offensive leadership. This offensive consistency could prove to be the difference between an electric playoff run and a disappointing season.
Atlanta's only reliable option at the small forward position is Zaccharie Risacher. While Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker can play the three, they will often be asked to guard point guards to hide Young's defensive limitations.
Considering the lack of small forward depth and wealth of center options, Johnson will likely be asked to play the three. To succeed in this role, Johnson will have to be a more consistent defender in space when matched against quicker opponents.
Johnson has shown an inconsistent ability to get low and keep up with smaller, quicker wing threats. He has the talent and athleticism to guard small forwards regularly. The question is can he improve in this area by turning the flashes he's shown into a reliable skill.
Johnson faces his biggest test of his young career this season. If he can prove to be the versatile player the Hawks need, he'll be on track to be a multi-time All-Star on a successful team. If not, both he and the team will struggle to make the jump from good to great.