In the midst of Wednesday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans, the Atlanta Hawks made a franchise-altering move. They traded Trae Young to the Washington Wizards, shifting the face of the franchise duties to young star Jalen Johnson for the time being.
The Hawks have been led by Young ever since the memorable Luka Doncic draft day trade in 2018. A seven-year span that included conference finals appearances, highlight plays, and becoming the most hated man any time he stepped foot in Madison Square Garden.
The Young trade could be discussed and debated forever, but how about a look at what it means for Atlanta? The franchise has officially handed the keys to Johnson, a 24-year-old upcoming superstar. The Duke product is in the midst of his second breakout season, the first of which was shut down due to an ACL injury.
Johnson has dominated all season long for the Hawks, averaging career highs in every major statistical category. The 6’8 power forward is a threat to drop a triple-double every game, with the athleticism to put anyone on a poster.
Johnson has become a premier PF in today’s NBA, creating a new mold for generations to follow. The main question now is, what can he become? At 23.5 PPG, 10.3 RPG, and 8.3 APG, it’s hard to believe he is just a 24-year-old developing player. It is almost scary to believe what he could become in the next few years.
Will the Hawks trust Johnson to lead them into the future? That question is likely to be answered in the next few weeks, leading up to the NBA trade deadline. There have been rumors swirling around a potential trade for another superstar big man. With Johnson playing so well, maybe it’s smart to sit back and watch what he can become this year. Maybe add another dynamic guard in the offseason to replace Young, but they should slow down on potentially halting Johnson’s development.
Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis has already been thrown into trade conversations less than a year after being acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers. The often-injured big man will now certainly be the top target for teams looking to make a splash, but should the Hawks really pursue him?
Davis is, of course, an extremely talented player with defensive player of the year upside whenever he’s actually available. Any trade is impossible to judge without seeing what was traded in return, but it is expected to cost a pretty penny to land him. The Hawks need to think about this move before executing it, will Johnson and Davis fit in a front court together?
Johnson is the type of player who looks to fit anywhere. Probably the closest to a perfect player that can be found in today’s NBA. He and Davis would work on paper, but the team as a whole wouldn’t look intimidating. The guard play would be lackluster, and adding a max contract player now would prevent them from making a move at the guard position in the offseason.
The Hawks should absolutely let Johnson become the face of the franchise. A player who could truly be in MVP talks in two years. Why would you want to stop that by adding Davis and trying to contend when it’s obvious you won’t go anywhere? It would be a flashy move on the surface, but it would set the franchise back many years.
Johnson is the guy you need to surround with pieces that fit his skillset. Give him shooters and a floor spacing big man. Treat him like the Milwaukee Bucks treat Giannis Antetokounmpo. Add a guard like Norman Powell in the offseason. Make a move for Trey Murphy III ahead of the trade deadline instead. There are so many moves that make sense for Atlanta, and trading for Davis is not one of them.
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