Breaking News: Former executive suggests Atlanta Hawks turn attention to Jalen Johnson
The Atlanta Birds of prey made a few significant strides in retooling their program this offseason.
As well as drafting Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 generally pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and exchanging Dejounte Murray, they likewise let shock starter Saddiq Bey hit unlimited free organization as opposed to delicate him a passing proposition.
While hypothesis has moved toward Trae Youthful’s future – which will just increase considering his most recent enigmatic post – one previous NBA leader recommends the Falcons ‘center’ around Jalen Johnson.
ESPN’s Bobby Imprints shared a realistic delineating the Falcons’ funds with that as the inscription.
“The Birds of prey have up until Oct. 21 to broaden Johnson,” Imprints wrote in his offseason review for the Birds of prey. “In general, Johnson has expanded his scoring normal from 5.6 last season to 16.1 this season. That is the second-biggest increment among players to play something like 50 games in the two seasons, following Cam Thomas.
“Since [General Director Landry] Fields joined the front office in October 2020, Atlanta has marked a player to a tenderfoot expansion in every one of the beyond three offseasons (Youthful, Kevin Huerter, De’Andre Tracker and [Onyeka] Okongwu).
Jalen Johnson could command ‘$25-$30 million’ from Hawks
Johnson’s jump from 28.8% from deep in 2022-23 to 35.5% this past season is significant. But it belies his stretches like finishing shooting 38.3% 3P over his final 10 appearances.
Indeed, even projections for Johnson’s agreement circumstance include Youthful.
“The Falcons have serious monetary choices that could incorporate moving a high-paid point monitor like Trae Youthful,” Cheap seat Report’s Eric Pincus wrote in Spring. “In view of that, Johnson could battle for $25-30 million every year.”
That would beat previous No. 4 pick De’Andre Tracker in yearly worth. Tracker is entering Year 2 of a four-year, $90 million agreement and has been buried in exchange bits of gossip.
Moving Hunter and individual exchange competitor Clint Capela could facilitate the brunt of Johnson’s arrangement.
It is by all accounts an inevitable result that the previous No. 20 in general pick (2020) will get an augmentation. He and Risacher are the main Falcons players thought about safe, per Yippee Sports’ Jake Fischer on June 28.
The Falcons were under .500 with and without Johnson last season. Yet, they were 27-29 with him in the setup and 9-17 without.
Murray’s exchange ought to likewise help Johnson, who has demonstrated compelling with the ball in his grasp.
Atlanta flaunted a short 8.4 net productivity differential with Johnson on the floor with Murray and Youthful last season, per Cleaning The Glass. They likewise strikingly had a superior rating with Johnson and Youthful (in addition to 3.7) than when Murray was matched with the rising star (in addition to 1.4).
That is one of horde potential purposes behind the Birds of prey’s choice to exchange Murray only two years subsequent to procuring him.
Johnson was on target to fight for Most Superior Player last season before wounds hit.
With better wellbeing and Murray good and gone – and the Birds of prey requiring somebody to move forward due to the exchange – the previous Duke Blue Demon could be ready to take advantage of that early commitment in a significantly more prominent breakout crusade in 2024-25.
