Before the clock struck midnight, the Atlanta Hawks were able to come to terms on a five-year, $150 million contract extension with forward Jalen Johnson, per ESPN insider Shams Charania.
Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson has agreed to a five-year, $150 million rookie contract extension with the franchise, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and representative Lucas Newton told ESPN. Major new deal for Atlanta’s young cornerstone. pic.twitter.com/bzlK7SCQNg
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 21, 2024
Just 22 years young, this deal should carry him from now to the middle of his prime. In other words, it’s just the beginning for Johnson, a player reminiscent of former Hawks star Josh Smith.
Smith, who Atlanta selected 17th overall in the 2004 NBA Draft, played for the Hawks for his first nine seasons. In that time, he was a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate, finishing as runner-up in 2010. Like Johnson, his electrifying athleticism and versatility were on full display in the A.
Jalen Johnson’s Extension With Hawks Is Just The Beginning
With a $30 million annual salary, Johnson’s set to make as much as Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs. That being said, the Hawks may have just gotten Johnson on a bargain if comparing his deal to that of his contemporaries.
Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs has agreed to a five-year, $150.5 million rookie contract extension with the franchise, sources tell ESPN. Massive new deal for the 2024 NBA All-Defensive team member. pic.twitter.com/7d3LrjcTRG
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 21, 2024
So far as this specific example, while Suggs is a more pronounced defender point-of-attack, he’s not as complete of a player as Johnson. Though Suggs has the potential to be a star in the league, he’s not a mismatch weapon. As a 6-foot-6 and 220-pound point-forward who’s too quick for big men and too beastly for perimeter players, Johnson is.
Johnson has even earned comparisons to Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, possibly the most decorated player in NBA history. It may seem hyperbolic, as many players fall far short of what James brings to the table. Nonetheless, between his skills, feel, and effectiveness in transition, there’s merit to that argument.
A Developmental Spectrum
It’s too early to tell whether Johnson will be a star-, All-Star-, or All-NBA-level talent. The Wisconsin native just put the bow on his third career season, which was a breakout year. However, his early trajectory has been very similar to Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam. Siakam is now a two-time All-Star, not to mention an NBA champion.
For the time travelers, the start of Johnson’s career also has shades of Hall of Fame forward Scottie Pippen’s. Pippen, who formed a terrific tag team with Hall of Fame shooting guard Michael Jordan, was a seven-time All-Star (among several other accolades).
Say that on the ‘low’ end, Johnson could be the Hawks’ new J-Smoove. On the other end of the spectrum is King James. In between those extremes are Siakam (who is closer to Smith) and Pippen (who is closer to James).
The beauty of player development is that Atlanta’s young cornerstone could hit any number of those checkpoints.
