The Atlanta Hawks have much to sort through in the wake of Jalen Johnson’s shoulder injury that will lead to season-ending surgery to repair a torn labrum.
Johnson’s absence has already been impactful. But his injury changes things for the Hawks on many levels this season. No one understands that more than Trae Young, who sent a fitting message in reaction to the news.
Young did not use any words, instead sharing frowning and downtrodden emojis in a post on X.
🙁😔
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) January 29, 2025
Young is right behind Johnson with the second-best on-off differential on the Hawks this season, per Cleaning The Glass. What Johnson has done for the Hawks’ defense, Young does for their offense and then some.
The Hawks are 4-7 without Johnson in the lineup this season, an ominous trend as we approach the 2024 trade deadline.
Trae Young’s future will become storyline again following Jalen Johnson’s injury
Young has often been the subject of speculation as the Hawks struggled to maintain a consistent playoff team. That will undoubtedly pick back up following Johnson’s injury and with the February 6 trade deadline just over one week away.
The Hawks entered this season willing to let the cards fall where they may, and Young was presumably on board with that approach.
Perhaps, then, a potentially “wasted” season would not move him off that stance.
There is greater uncertainty around how it would change things from the Hawks’ perspective after rumors they explored trade possibilities with the three-time All-Star this past season. But there are financial ramifications that must be considered for both sides.
Young has a $48.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season. That means Young is functionally on a two-year deal.
Now, Young has transformed his game into something more malleable from a team aspect.
And the Hawks do not currently have a viable path toward tanking and rebuilding. Unloading Young could provide an opportunity to retool on the fly while avoiding potential issues down the road as he becomes extension-eligible after this season.
Young is still just 26 years old, so this is not a matter of fearing he might run out of gas. But aside from squandering another year of his prime, Young has said he wants to win more.
Even if he has to do it elsewhere.
“Everybody knows, obviously, I want to be in Atlanta. When I was drafted, that’s where I wanted to spend my whole career. But at the same time, I want to win. So if we’re not on the same page wanting to win now...,” Young said on the “From The Point” podcast on April 30.
“There’s times teams want to take their time, be slow with winning, their process. It’s just, I’m not there anymore. I want to win, and I’ve always been that way, so. I don’t feel like I have very much time to waste. I just want to continue to play at a high level, and I feel like I can do that: play at a high level and win.”
The Hawks are ninth in the Eastern Conference standings entering play on January 29. They are riding a six-game losing streak that will be more difficult to snap without Johnson.