The Atlanta Hawks have a lot of talent, but they're still missing a fundamentally essential piece.
The Atlanta Hawks struck gold when they selected Jalen Johnson with the 20th pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
That’s not where franchises expect to find cornerstones. If a team lands a steady rotation player at No. 20, it’s considered a success. Producing a one-time All-Star from that slot dramatically exceeds the draft’s typical value curve. Discovering a potential franchise centerpiece there is rare.
Johnson fits that description.
His all-around profile is difficult to replicate. At 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game, he is a nightly triple-double threat. Against the Miami Heat on Friday, he delivered another one — 16 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists — stuffing the stat sheet in a way few forwards can.
But the box score told only part of the story.
Johnson shot 6-of-22 from the field. The efficiency gap mattered. Miami’s defensive approach exposed a recurring tension in Atlanta’s offense: when Johnson can’t build downhill momentum, the game becomes harder.
At his best, Johnson plays with force and pace. He attacks space, collapses defenses and creates high-value shots for himself and others. When that runway disappears, the possession often stalls. The Heat crowded his driving lanes, loaded multiple defenders in his path and forced him into contested attempts.
It’s a reminder that even ascending stars have growth areas.
Johnson’s archetype isn’t unprecedented. His blend of size, playmaking and downhill pressure evokes shades of Giannis Antetokounmpo. For an older comparison, early-career Charles Barkley fits the mold — overpowering in transition and in space, still refining half-court scoring counters. That isn’t a criticism. It’s context.
And it leads to the larger question.
If Johnson is the engine, who is the co-star?
Nickeil Alexander-Walker is the most logical internal candidate. He provides perimeter skill, shooting gravity and complementary creation. In theory, Johnson’s ideal running mate is a dynamic shot maker who bends defenses from the outside and relieves pressure in slowed-down possessions.
Alexander-Walker shows flashes of that profile. He has improved steadily since entering the league and continues to expand his offensive reliability. The leap from strong secondary option to long-term co-star, however, is a significant one.
That possibility isn’t closed.
If his trajectory continues upward, Atlanta may already have its answer in-house. If not, the front office must think bigger. The Hawks have been loosely connected to Anthony Edwards in league chatter. If a pathway to acquiring a dominant perimeter scorer ever materializes, Atlanta should explore it aggressively. A pairing of Johnson’s playmaking with Edwards’ shot-making gravity would solve many of the structural challenges that surfaced against Miami.
Zooming out, the blueprint is clear. Johnson is a plus-sized initiator. To maximize him, Atlanta needs a perimeter scorer who can command double teams late in games and stretch defenses beyond the arc.
Once that partnership materializes, the Hawks’ ceiling shifts dramatically.
Until then, Atlanta remains a team powered by a star who is still learning how to win at the highest level — and fortunate enough to have found him at No. 20 in the first place.