What Jalen Johnson's extension could mean for De'Andre Hunter, Hawks roster

Jalen Johnson’s $150 million contract extension will have a ripple effect on the Atlanta Hawks’ roster in the near future.

No one may feel it more than De’Andre Hunter.

Johnson overtakes Hunter – who is in Year 2 of a four-year, $90 million contract – as the Hawks’ second highest-paid player. It is a position that matches his projected No. 2 option role with Dejounte Murray traded to the New Orleans Pelicans this offseason and no replacement added.

Financially, the Hawks are still in good shape, thanks in large part to the structure of Johnson’s contract.

He will earn a flat rate of $30 million, per HoopsHypes’s Michael Scotto.

“Using currently available salary cap projections, Jalen Johnson's 5th-year salary of $30 million would translate to less than $19 million under the 2024-25 cap,” “Locked On Hawks” host Brad Rowland posted on X on October 21. “(Just trying to help people understand the dynamics here).”

That is tremendous savings when the Hawks could have tried to backload the deal as is quite common. Hunter, for example, had an opening salary of $20 million in 2023-24. He will earn $24.9 million in the final season.

De’Andre Hunter’s future gains little clarity with Jalen Johnson’s extension

Hunter is a useful player, and he still will be by the time his current deal expires following the 2026-27 season. 

It is harder to argue that he will be within $6 million of Johnson as a player, though.

Rowland also notes that Johnson will occupy a smaller share of the Hawks’ cap space in Years 4 and 5 of his new deal than Hunter is in 2024-25. For a player who has already been mired in trade speculation, that could be ominous for Hunter’s future with the Hawks.

The Hawks have several other high-priced players on the books in Trae Young, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Onyeka Okongwu. 

Having Clint Capela on an expiring contract will help.

No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher does not come cheap either. However, the Hawks are paying roughly $2 million less for Risacher, Bogdanovic, and Okongwu combined than they will for Young this coming season.

Risacher’s presence on the roster – and apparent readiness for a big role – could have a greater impact on Hunter than his [Risacher] or Johnson’s salaries will.

The Hawks were rumored to have explored trade options with the former No. 4 pick before.

“I'll just say we know that the Hawks have been looking to unload DeAndre Hunter, right, who is owed about $22 [million] this year, $23 [million] next year, $25 [million] the year after that,” ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on “The Hoop Collective” podcast in September. “That's not a great contract.”

With more money on the books in the future after Johnson’s extension, the Hawks could try to ratchet up their efforts to find a new home for Hunter.

Hawks general manager Landry Fields said on media the roster was a work in progress.