The Atlanta Hawks might just be cooking up something special - and it’s not just about Trae Young launching logo threes. What’s quietly emerging in Atlanta is the potential for one of the most dynamic passing duos we’ve seen in years, and it’s not just because of Young’s well-established playmaking chops. Jalen Johnson is stepping into the spotlight, and together, these two could reshape how we think about offensive creation in today’s NBA.
Let’s start with the known quantity: Trae Young. He’s been a passing savant since he entered the league, and last season, he led the NBA in assists at 11.6 per game - the highest mark in four years.
That’s not just volume; it’s efficiency and vision. He topped the league in rim assists per 100 possessions and ranked in the 99th percentile in potential assists per 100, per databallr.
That’s elite territory. Young’s ability to read defenses in real time and toggle between scoring and facilitating is what makes him such a unique offensive engine.
He’s not just running plays - he’s orchestrating possessions like a conductor, with a feel for timing and spacing that’s rare even among the league’s best.
But here’s where things get really interesting: Jalen Johnson is proving he’s not just a high-flying forward or a versatile defender - he’s becoming a legitimate playmaker in his own right. With Young missing time due to injury, Johnson has taken on more of the playmaking load, and he’s done more than just hold down the fort. He’s thrived.
Johnson has matched Young’s playmaking efficiency in some key areas. According to databallr, Johnson ranks in the 100th percentile in both rim assists and potential assists per 100 possessions - and he’s doing this from the power forward position.
That’s rare air. His 7.3 assists per game might not lead the league, but for a player who wasn’t expected to be a primary initiator, that’s a massive leap.
It’s not just about the numbers - it’s about how he’s seeing the floor, making reads, and elevating teammates.
This kind of dual playmaking threat - one from the point guard spot, the other from the forward position - gives Atlanta a level of offensive versatility that’s hard to guard. And it’s the kind of setup we haven’t really seen since the James Harden-Chris Paul days in Houston.
Now, that Rockets duo was undeniably talented. They piled up wins and stats, but they never quite figured out how to make their styles mesh in a way that elevated the whole team.
Harden and Paul often played in isolation-heavy sets, taking turns with the ball rather than building a flowing, connected offense. It worked well enough in the regular season, but when the playoffs came around, that predictability became a problem.
That’s the cautionary tale for the Hawks. Young and Johnson can’t fall into that same pattern - two creators taking turns instead of working in tandem.
Neither of them is the kind of singular force who can be the entire system on a title team, but together? If they buy into a motion-heavy, pass-first system, they could be the engine of something far more dangerous.
That’s where head coach Quin Snyder comes in. His challenge is to design an offense that gets the most out of both Young and Johnson - not just with the ball in their hands, but off it, too.
That means movement, screening, and trust in the system. It means getting Young to embrace a role that’s more Steph Curry than James Harden.
We haven’t seen much of that version of Trae Young - the off-ball cutter, the relocation shooter, the guy who bends defenses even without the rock. But the tools are there.
He’s got the IQ, the vision, and the shooting range to be a nightmare in motion. Think Curry-lite - not in terms of accolades or legacy, but in how he can impact the game without dominating the dribble.
If Young can tap into that, and if Johnson continues evolving as a playmaker, the Hawks’ offense could become one of the most unpredictable and unselfish in the league. It’s not about who gets the last shot - it’s about who makes the right pass, who sets the right screen, who creates the best look. And with two top-tier passers on the floor, Atlanta might just be building a blueprint for sustainable success.
The pieces are there. Now it’s about chemistry, commitment, and coaching. If it all clicks, the Hawks won’t just be fun to watch - they’ll be a problem for the rest of the East.