The Atlanta Hawks are now assured of a play-in spot, whether they make the playoffs or not, which is a cause for a team that has had a lot of twists and turns in the regular season this season. Maybe the Hawks' results this season are not good enough, but it doesn't mean that they haven't achieved anything this season, even if the team almost went into a rebuild, the Hawks have also reaped the growth of Jalen Johnson this season.
Johnson has been with the Eagles for three seasons and has finally made great strides this season. In the Hawks' tactical system, Johnson has been able to enter the team's tactical core rotation, while the ball possession and playing time have increased significantly, Johnson's average points per game has soared from 5.6 points last season to 16.1 points, becoming an important scoring point for the Hawks on the offensive end, and the increase of up to 10.5 points also gives him the opportunity to compete for the Most Improved Player award.
As early as the beginning of the Hawks, the team wanted Johnson to be the 3-and-D player the team needed on both ends of the floor, and Johnson has the ability to do so. It's just that because the Hawks' tactical focus is on the outside, and the presence of Collins occupies most of the Hawks' interior shots, Johnson doesn't have many opportunities to perform on the court. But even so, Hawks management is still very much looking forward to Johnson, and said that he and Trae Young are the only two things that the team is not for sale.
Before the start of the season, the Hawks sent Collins away, leaving Johnson room to perform, and with the ball to back up, Johnson had more performances. Due to the Hawks' adjustments to the existing roster, Johnson's tactical position has also improved to a certain extent. On the offensive end, Johnson has more shooting autonomy, and Johnson has gradually shown his shooting ability, becoming the most reliable shooting spot for the Hawks.
After the Eagles sent Collins away, the need for small-ball tactics became more and more reliant on Johnson, and Johnson also played an important tactical role in this. Capela has missed a number of games this season due to injury, and the Hawks are looking to increase the mobility of the roster, so Johnson has spent most of his time inside. Compared with Capela's ability to play in position, Johnson's performance is also not inferior, and he has a better sense of rushing for rebounds, and his average rebounds per game have nearly doubled compared to last season.
After becoming more consistent on the offensive end, Johnson is getting better and better on the defensive end. Although he is still a little thin, Johnson's efficient rotation at the front line has brought a more stable rotation defense to the Hawks, and even single-handedly led the defensive effect of the Hawks' front line. In terms of following the opponent to break through, Johnson was able to give the opponent enough defensive pressure between the march, alleviating the trouble on the defensive end for the Eagles.
As the season comes to an end, Johnson is also eligible for a contract extension with the Hawks, and based on his performances this season, the Hawks will obviously want to keep Johnson. As Trae Young gets older, the Hawks also need to find a younger and suitable helper, and Johnson clearly has what it takes to be that.