The Atlanta Hawks aren’t exactly having the season they hoped for after a big offseason. They are currently sitting at 20-22, and amid a middling season, they traded Trae Young to the Washington Wizards.
For Hawks star Jalen Johnson, losing his star teammate became the wake-up call he needed.
Jalen Johnson Reveals Reaction to Trae Young Trade
Young’s journey with the Hawks was always interesting. He arrived after being swapped for Luka Dončić in a deal with the Dallas Mavericks, and comparisons never stopped following him. Young still made Atlanta his home and turned himself into one of the league’s most exciting players. Then Jan. 7 happened. The Hawks traded Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.
Johnson recently sat down with Andscape and opened up about that moment. He admitted the trade caught him completely off guard. But instead of letting it throw him off course, something clicked as he realized this was his moment. The team needed someone to step up, and it had to be him.
“The first thing I thought was just kind of shock it happened. But then I immediately switched gears and understood it’s time. It’s time to take it up even another notch. With him being out, it allowed me to do more things and stuff like that. But once the news came out, it was like, ‘It’s go-time now. It’s here. It’s time to go get it,’” Johnson said in the interview.
Johnson entered the league in 2021 after Atlanta selected him with the 20th overall pick, and this season, with Young sidelined for much of the year, he has solidified himself as the Hawks’ top performer. He is posting career highs of 23.4 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game while racking up several triple-doubles.
His rise, combined with Young’s ongoing injury issues, played a role in Atlanta’s decision to chart a new course for the franchise. Johnson said he is prepared to continue putting in the work and take the next step as the Hawks place greater responsibility on him.
“Every step of the journey I’ve embraced, and essentially have made the most of my opportunities,” Johnson said. “It’s something I don’t take for granted. And I’m excited for it. I know the work that I put in. I will be ready for [the challenge].”
Young is not expected to return to action until after the All-Star break. The Hawks and Wizards are scheduled to meet two more times this season, playing back-to-back games with Atlanta hosting on Feb. 24 and 26.
