Hawks' Quin Snyder eliminates any Jalen Johnson concerns amid slow start

10/28/2024 07:35 PM

The Atlanta Hawks have played well early in the season, but Jalen Johnson has had a slow start. Johnson has had to shoulder a little more responsibility this season, and it looks like he’s still trying to get comfortable in the role. He’s averaging 11.3 points and 8.7 rebounds through the first three games of the season, but he’s also shooting nearly 30% from the field and 20% from three.

Before their game against the Washington Wizards, head coach Quin Snyder shared his thoughts about Johnson’s slow start, and he’s confident in his ability to find his rhythm, but he also knows that he’s still growing in his young career.

“I hope he's in an adjustment period for the next several years because I think what that means is that he's going to continue to improve,” Snyder said. “The biggest thing for him is don't put any pressure on yourself.

“The fact that he signed and he's going to be here, everyone is excited about that, but he doesn't have to prove anything to anybody. Jalen is 22, that means you have your whole basketball life ahead of you. If he were a finished product right now, it's just not realistic. I wouldn't want him to be. I want him to have the opportunity to get better.”

There’s no doubt that Johnson will get better, and with it being so early in the season, he has time to figure out his spots and make an impact on the game. Snyder thinks that he may be trying to do too much at the same time, which could be the reason for his slow start.

“Whether it's going through a game or a stretch, that's how you get better because you learn about yourself, and to an extent, he could be trying to process too much,” Snyder said.

Jalen Johnson looks to be the No. 2 option for the Hawks this season

Last season, Jalen Johnson was a breakout player for the Hawks, and he may have been in the running for Most Improved Player if he stayed healthy. He averaged 16.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. Offensively, he made a huge jump, as he averaged 5.6 points the season before, and his ability to be a playmaker was what also stood out about him.

Quin Snyder said during Media Day that Johnson’s versatility was what set him apart and how he could make a big impact during the season.

"His versatility is something that is really unique," Snyder said. "The times where he played his best basketball last year, he really let the game come to him. I think when you do have the ability to pass and shoot and handle [the ball], it gives you the chance to do that, to be able to impact the game in a variety of ways throughout the course of the game."

So far this season, Trae Young has had the ball a lot in his hands, and the Oklahoma City Thunder game was a prime example of needing to have another player stepping up.

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