Trae Young has high hopes for his teammate Jalen Johnson.
The Atlanta Hawks enter the season with some of the highest expectations they faced under Trae Young’s leadership. Many believe they can compete in a weakened Eastern Conference after an incredible offseason.
The Hawks have added Kristaps Porzingis to one of the most important moves of the active offseason, demonstrating their desire to win now. However, Young said that the most important piece for the puzzle is not a new addition.
He said Jalen Johnson, now a fifth-year hawk, was key to their success, setting high expectations for his teammates before the season.
Young, the four-time All-Star himself, said Johnson is planning to appear in his first All-Star Game this season. He explained that if Johnson hadn’t been injured at the end of the season, he would have already accomplished this.
Speaking about the Club 520 podcast, Young said: “We were in the top five in the East before he got injured, and many people don’t understand that.
“We may see how we finished the season, but Jalen missed over 45 games. He was at the All-Star level last year.
“If he’s healthy, he’ll have his first All-Star this year, we’ll have a winning season, and everything’s good. I’m excited.”
Johnson only played 36 games last season, but averaged a double double of 19 points before a season-ending shoulder injury. He had an average career high in points, rebounds and assists before his injury.
He is one of the key pieces that generates Hawks hype before the season. In addition to new additions from assist leader Young, defensive leader Phenom Dyson Daniels, Porzingis and Nikkill Alexander Walker last season, Johnson is predicted to lead Atlanta into a new era.
The Hawks are hesitant to pay younger this summer, leading to tension between the parties. Young was frustrated with the Hawks as he played a pivotal role in bringing Luke Kennard and Alexander Walker to Atlanta.
He has been the team leader since 2018 and took the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021. But ahead of the most anticipated season of Young’s career, Johnson is projected to be his best player in the coming years.
Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report wrote: “If Johnson is an elite defender, a rebounder (10 or more rebounds per game) and a good scorer (20+ points per game), then there’s an argument that he is the best player in the 2025-26 Hawks.
“Tree may still beat him because of his offensive gravity, but in honor, there is no more world than a defensive neutral presence. The possibility that Johnson adds to defense is important for both his future and for the Hawks’ next season.”
Young is taking part in the debate that he is the league’s best playmaker. He led the NBA in Assists with 11.6 per game last season, scoring double-digit assist averages over the past three seasons.
However, his defensive capabilities stand at 6’1″ and raise questions about his ability to lead his team to the championship. So Johnson has an edge over his star teammates.
If Johnson breaks out in the All-Star season in 2026, it could give the Hawks all the encouragement they need to move from young people to a new era of basketball in Atlanta.