Atlanta Hawks' fatal flaw that must be fixed after 2025 NBA All-Star break
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It’s safe to say that the Atlanta Hawks were dark horses in the Eastern Conference coming into the 2024-25 season. With Trae Young remaining as the face of the franchise, the team will always have a decent shot at making some noise. Surrounding Young includes some promising pieces such as Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, and the first overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft in Zaccharie Risacher.
However, it looks like the team has hit a snag. With Johnson forced to go through a season-ending shoulder surgery, Atlanta will be missing out on one of their key rotation players. Unfortunately, his absence has let the team take a huge hit. For now, the Hawks are at the seventh seed with a measly 28-34 win-loss card. As a result, the Atlanta Hawks’ fatal flaw that must be fixed after 2025 NBA All-Star break must be the massive hole left by an injured Jalen Johnson.
Jalen Johnson is out for the season
It’s a shame that in the midst of the best season of his NBA career, Johnson suffered a shoulder injury that will require him to go under the knife. As a result, the Hawks will have to continue the rest of the year without the 6-foot-9 forward. This year, Johnson is putting up career-high numbers of 18.9 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game.
Prior to injury, Johnson’s breakout season has been instrumental to the Hawks’ early success. His ability to find his teammates combined with his athleticism, made him an ideal running partner to Hawks star Trae Young. But more importantly, Johnson also made sure that he made an impact on the defensive end. As a result, he was the perfect player in Coach Quin Snyder’s system.
With Johnson, the Hawks posted a decent 18-18 record. Without him, Atlanta is just 10-16. The team has also slid down to the ninth seed. Although they’re still in the Play-In Tournament conversation, it’s going to be a tough mountain to climb without their breakout player for the rest of the season.
The Atlanta Hawks get busy at the trade deadline
There’s no question that the Atlanta Hawks were one of the busiest teams at the trade deadline. First, they accomplished their goal by going below the luxury tax threshold. Second, they also received a haul of role players to improve their depth. Although none of the players they got will ever fill the absence of Johnson, it does give Snyder some options to redistribute the responsibilities left by their injured breakout star.
Among the players they received, the key acquisition that would help their frontcourt will be Georges Niang. The 6-foot-7 power forward may not have the athleticism or court vision to replace Johnson. However, his size, coupled with his ability to space the floor, should help bolster the team’s offense. His familiarity with Snyder’s system, given that he’s played under him for the Utah Jazz in the past, should be a much-needed bonus.
In a Hawks uniform so far, Niang has been averaging 7.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game while shooting 44.5% from the field overall and 39.8% from beyond the arc. Other players that the Hawks kept include Terrence Mann, Caris LeVert, and a couple of draft picks. Both of these players should easily fill the void left by the departures of Bogdan Bogdanovic and DeAndre Hunter.
Onyeka Okongwu and Mouhamed Gueye are answering the call as Clint Capela returns
With Johnson sidelined, the Hawks are heaving a sigh of relief, especially with the fine plays of Onyeka Okongwu and Mouhamed Gueye. Although none of these players will replicate Johnson’s play, their contributions are helping the team stay competitive.
Okongwu is averaging 12.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. In fact, he has impressed a lot that Snyder has even promoted the 6-foot-8 center to the starting position. On the other hand, Gueye has also taken his game to another level. Despite playing limited minutes, the Senegalese big man is tallying 5.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 0.9 rejections per game. His best game came in a 115-110 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, finishing with 15 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks.
Aside from Niang, Okongwu, and Gueye, it’s also a welcome sight that Clint Capela is slowly reverting back to 100%. It’s worth noting that the Swiss big man has missed some games due to a mix of back spasms and personal reasons. Nonetheless, his return should certainly bolster the team’s frontcourt that will missing their promising power forward. For the 2024-25 season, Capela is putting up 9.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game on 61.7% shooting from the floor.
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