The Atlanta Hawks won a 132–122 thriller on Thursday night in Utah, with Jalen Johnson putting up a stat line nobody in NBA history has ever matched — 31 points, 18 rebounds, 14 assists, and 7 steals. It was the Hawks’ fourth straight win, moving them to 8–5 on the season, most of which has been played without star point guard Trae Young.“
Depth, Depth, And More Depth
One of the most exciting parts of this year’s roster coming into the season was the depth. In previous years, a couple of injuries would hit, and suddenly the Hawks were relying on two-way players to keep them afloat. That’s no longer the case. This roster is so deep that the real challenge is finding enough minutes for everyone.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker has been a home run addition, stepping into the starting lineup for Trae Young and averaging 17.1 points and 3.5 assists per game. Onyeka Okongwu has been a force as the sixth man, dropping 32 points against the Jazz with Kristaps Porzingis out. Mo Gueye and Vit Krejci have each played pivotal roles early in the campaign, and even first-round pick Asa Newell has looked impressive in his limited opportunities.
The Hawks are legitimately 12 players deep, and over the grind of an 82-game season, that type of depth is going to give them a major edge over most teams.
Jalen Johnson Is Heading Towards Superstar Status
Johnson’s performance against the Jazz was pulled straight out of a video game. Nobody should be able to put up numbers like that in 40 minutes, but it’s another sign of the player he’s becoming. The Hawks have leaned on him as their primary scoring option — even when Trae Young was healthy — and he’s delivered, averaging 21.5 points on 57.9% shooting. His ability to impact the game in every phase is something every basketball fan should appreciate. If he stays healthy, which has been his biggest hurdle early in his career, the national spotlight will find him soon enough. He’s well on his way to becoming basketball’s next star in Atlanta.
The Trae Young Debate
With the Hawks playing so well without Trae Young on both ends of the floor, it’s only natural that questions are surfacing about his long-term future with the organization. Those concerns are more than fair, and the Hawks essentially acknowledged that by opting not to extend him this offseason. Atlanta isn’t a better team without Trae Young right now — getting him back is essential to the team’s success — but there’s a real conversation to be had about whether he’s worth the max contract he’ll covet as a free agent after the season, or if the Hawks would be better off allocating those resources elsewhere.
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Photo: Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire
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