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The Atlanta Hawks have locked in Jalen Johnson for the future, as they agreed to a fully guaranteed, five-year extension with the forward, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
“Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson has agreed to a five-year, $150 million rookie contract extension with the franchise, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and representative Lucas Newton told ESPN. Major new deal for Atlanta’s young cornerstone,” Charania tweeted on X, formerly Twitter.
There were talks early on that both sides were looking to get a deal before the deadline, and now the Hawks or Johnson don't have to worry about waiting until next summer.
Hawks lock up core piece of the future in Jalen Johnson
It should have been a no-brainer for the Hawks to get an extension done with Jalen Johnson, and there's no doubt that he will be a core piece of the future.
Johnson was a breakout player for the Hawks last season, as he stepped in as the full-time starter for the first time in his career. He averaged 16.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. Offensively, Johnson made a huge jump, as he averaged 5.6 points the season before, but his ability to be a playmaker was what also stood out about him.
Johnson will be asked to do more this season after the Hawks traded Dejounte Murray during the offseason, and there's belief within the organization that he can do it.
“His versatility is something that is really unique,” Snyder said during Media Day. “The times where he played his best basketball last year, he really let the game come to him. I think when you do have the ability to pass and shoot and handle [the ball], it gives you the chance to do that, to be able to impact the game in a variety of ways throughout the course of the game.”
Injuries were something that held back Johnson for parts of the season, and Trae Young knows that if the Hawks want to be in good standing this year, his health will play a big factor.
“For us, it’s about being on the court together more,” Young said at Media Day. “I think this is year four for him, but it feels like two. Even last year, he had some ankle injuries, but for me, I’m just praying he’s here available for us. When he’s playing, he makes our team better. When he’s not, especially this year, it’s going to be a big hole for us to fill, so we need him out there playing.”
