NBA Rumors: Jalen Johnson headed toward Hawks contract worth more than $30 million annually

The Atlanta Hawks currently have several trade candidates On their roster ahead of the 2024-25 season, the two only players who are certainly safe from such conversations are Trae Young and Jalen Johnson. Young’s preseason was full of ups and downs There have been some turnover difficulties for the team, but Johnson impressed during the recent game versus the Miami Heat, showing off all kinds of arsenal that got Hawks fans excited.

Johnson is currently entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract and is running out of time before Monday’s deadline for the team to reach an extension with him, or let him go in restricted free agency at the conclusion of the season. There is a risk of.

now getting fans a clear picture What a potential extension could look like for the talented power forward.

“There is a lot of optimism around the NBA that the Hawks will get a deal worth $30 million in average annual salary for Johnson. This is the beginning of the ballpark that is being explored for this Duke product’s representation in clutch sports,” Threads. But as People’s Insider shows.

What is Jalen Johnson’s ceiling?

On paper, Jalen Johnson checks almost every box that NBA teams are looking for as their ideal player for the future.

Johnson stands 6’8″ and is a freak athlete, making him a terror for opposing teams trying to defend in transition. Last year, his first year starting for the Hawks, Johnson showed some impressive playmaking and passing instincts, along with an improved outside jumper that forced teams to keep him away from the basket.

Add all this to the fact that Johnson is a capable ball handler who can make fast breaks on his own without having to find his point guard, and the Hawks have one of the most dynamic young players in the NBA at age 22. , even if his stats haven’t come off the page yet.

As far as current players in the NBA who fit Johnson’s ideal, the name Aaron Gordon of the Denver Nuggets comes to mind, though Johnson’s mobility and playmaking tendencies certainly make him more likely than the 2023 NBA champion. Gives a higher ceiling than.

In any case, the Hawks are set to open their 2024-25 NBA season at home against the Brooklyn Nets on October 23. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM ET from State Farm Arena.