Jalen Johnson’s Breakout Season Comes With a Caveat - But It Might Not Matter As Much As You Think
In a season that’s been anything but smooth for the Atlanta Hawks, Jalen Johnson has emerged as a legitimate bright spot - a beacon of promise in an otherwise underwhelming campaign. With Trae Young sidelined and the team falling well short of preseason expectations, Johnson’s rise has been one of the few reasons Hawks fans can look toward the future with optimism.
The 22-year-old forward has flashed real versatility this season, showcasing the kind of playmaking chops that suggest he could be more than just a complementary piece. He’s been aggressive, confident, and at times, downright electric with the ball in his hands. But a closer look at the numbers reveals a wrinkle in his game that’s hard to ignore - especially if the Hawks envision him as a long-term primary initiator.
The Pick-and-Roll Problem
According to recent data, Johnson ranks near the bottom of the league in pick-and-roll efficiency among high-volume ball handlers. Specifically, he’s one of just three players - along with Shaedon Sharpe and LaMelo Ball - to log at least 250 pick-and-roll possessions while averaging 0.80 points per possession or fewer. That’s not exactly elite company, and it places him in what some analysts have dubbed the “quadrant of woe” when it comes to P&R production.
For a player who’s being groomed as a potential lead playmaker, that’s a red flag. The pick-and-roll remains a foundational element of NBA offenses, especially when the game slows down in the postseason. If Johnson can’t consistently create efficient looks out of that action, it could limit his ceiling - or at least his ability to carry the offense in crunch time.
But here’s the twist: that weakness might not be as damaging to Atlanta’s current trajectory as it would have been a year ago.
A Shift in Offensive Identity
Since Trae Young’s absence, the Hawks have quietly begun to pivot away from their pick-and-roll-heavy offense. Last season, Atlanta ended 23.8% of their possessions with either the ball handler or roller in a pick-and-roll - one of the highest rates in the league. This year, that number has dropped to 18.5%, a significant 22% decrease in volume.
That’s not a coincidence. With Young - one of the league’s premier P&R maestros - out of the lineup, head coach Quin Snyder has leaned more into a motion-based system that emphasizes ball movement, cutting, and off-ball activity. And in that type of setup, Johnson’s strengths - his vision in transition, his ability to attack closeouts, his feel for making reads on the fly - shine a bit brighter.
So while his inefficiency in pick-and-roll situations is worth monitoring, it’s not necessarily a dealbreaker in the short term. The Hawks aren’t asking him to be a Trae Young clone. They’re building something different - and Johnson’s skill set fits that mold.
Still, Growth is Non-Negotiable
That said, if the Hawks have real playoff aspirations in the near future - and with a valuable Pelicans pick on the way, that window could open sooner than expected - Johnson will need to round out his offensive toolkit. Because when the postseason arrives, and every possession becomes a chess match, teams lean heavily on pick-and-rolls to generate reliable offense. The game slows down, mismatches get hunted, and the margin for error shrinks.
That’s when you need your lead guys to be able to navigate a screen, read the defense, and make the right play - whether it’s pulling up, hitting the roller, or kicking it out to the corner. Johnson doesn’t have to be elite in those moments just yet, but he’ll need to be better than he is now.
The Big Picture
There’s no denying it: Jalen Johnson has taken a major step forward this season. He’s proving that he belongs, and more importantly, that he can be a foundational piece for a franchise looking to retool on the fly. His pick-and-roll numbers may not be pretty, but context matters - and the Hawks are evolving in a way that plays to his strengths.
Still, if he wants to be the guy in Atlanta - the engine of a playoff-caliber offense - the next step is clear. Sharpen the pick-and-roll game, add another layer to his already intriguing skill set, and get ready for the spotlight. Because ready or not, it’s coming.