The Atlanta Hawks are off to a solid start in the 2025-26 NBA season, sitting at 13-9 despite missing their franchise cornerstone, Trae Young, since late October. That record isn’t just respectable - it’s impressive when you consider how much of the Hawks’ offense typically flows through Young. But what’s made this stretch particularly intriguing is who’s stepped up in his absence: Jalen Johnson.
Johnson hasn’t just filled a void - he’s reshaped the conversation around this team. The 22-year-old forward is playing the best basketball of his young career, showing flashes of star-level impact on both ends of the floor.
His emergence has given the Hawks a new dimension - one that’s longer, more athletic, and more defensively versatile. And it’s forcing Atlanta’s front office to ask some big-picture questions.
One of those questions? Whether now is the right time to consider reshaping the roster around Johnson’s strengths - which could mean exploring a future without Trae Young.
That’s not a decision anyone in Atlanta is taking lightly. Young is still one of the league’s most dynamic offensive players - a pick-and-roll maestro with deep shooting range and elite playmaking vision.
But he’s also a defensive liability, and the Hawks have long struggled to build a cohesive two-way identity with him as the centerpiece. With Johnson blossoming and the team holding steady in the standings, there’s growing speculation that the Hawks might be open to a roster reset that prioritizes balance and defensive versatility.
Fueling that speculation is a draft night trade from earlier this year that’s quietly looking like a masterstroke for Atlanta. The Hawks sent the No. 13 overall pick to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for the No. 23 pick and - more importantly - an unprotected pick swap in 2026. That swap could end up being a game-changer.
Here’s why: The Pelicans are currently at the bottom of the Western Conference, and the Milwaukee Bucks - whose pick is also in play due to the mechanics of the deal - are sliding down the Eastern standings. If those trends hold, Atlanta could be looking at a premium lottery pick in what scouts are already calling a loaded 2026 draft class.
That kind of asset opens up all sorts of possibilities. Rival executives have noted that if the Hawks do decide to move on from Young, they’ll need a new lead ball handler - someone who can run the offense and keep the team’s momentum going. That player could come via trade, but with that 2026 pick swap in hand, the Hawks might have a shot at drafting a top-tier guard to step into that role.
Of course, none of this means a Trae Young trade is imminent. The Hawks are expected to take a long look at how the team performs once Young returns to the lineup. His offensive gravity is still unmatched on this roster, and if he comes back and elevates the team to another level, it could shift the calculus entirely.
But for now, the Hawks are in an enviable position. They’ve weathered a major injury to their star, uncovered a potential new cornerstone in Jalen Johnson, and set themselves up with a high-upside draft asset that could shape their future.
Whether that future includes Trae Young remains to be seen - but Atlanta suddenly has options. And in today’s NBA, that’s a powerful place to be.