Jalen Johnson’s return of the lesion could be key to the success of the Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta (AP) – After a burst of low seasonal movements and a remodeling of the East Conference, Atlanta Hawks are ready to be a factor this year.

And although the four-time All-Star brings Young remains the team’s support point, a second All-Star should arise if the Hawks must meet the expectations. Jalen Johnson enters.

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The 6 feet striker 9 of the Hawks is entering his fifth season from Duke leaving a torn labr in his left shoulder that required surgery last January and finished his season. It lasted only 36 games, but continued its promotion with the stroke highs in points (18.9), rebounds (10.0), robberies (1.6), blocks (1.0) and minutes (35.7).

“I am excited by a basketball game,” Johnson said in the team’s practice installation on Thursday. “It has been a long time since January, so I am excited to leave on the court, the preseason, the training camp. I am excited to be full and completely healthy going to the season.”

Johnson spent his summer training with LeBron James after he was authorized to resume basketball activities. He said that his conditioning is up to it and has worked more in his shooting in the low season. The first days of training camp have been dedicated to the new rotation pieces that Hawks have acquired, such as Kristaps Porzingas, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard.

And while Johnson is trying to fit with them, the Hawks coach, Quin Snyder, feels that newcomers will fit very well with Johnson.

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“Other boys in the team benefit from Jalen due to their ability to play,” Snyder said. “Jalen is such a good pin and a arranged pin who is ready to do even more … (with the new alignment), he will be in spacing situations where he can catch and shoot. We want him to do that, just to let him fly. We trust him in that sense.”

Johnson fired 35.5% from the 3-point range in 2023-24, but that number dropped to 31.2% last season. If your exterior shooting becomes more reliable, it will open your ability to drive. Johnson is one of the best of the Hawks to leave and end in transition, and it has been since he entered the League.

Snyder said that he has noticed in the first part of the training camp that Johnson has focused more on the defensive details, which shows his maturation as a player. Johnson has not been able to experience a full season in his two years as a starter. He played 56 games in 2023-24 due to ankle and wrist injuries, and then 46 games was lost last season.

“The key to any young player to improve is to embrace the things you need to work, just to be painfully honest with himself on how I can improve and then work,” Snyder said. “He has done a very good job in the parts of the season, at the beginning of the season he played, I think he has been able to take that and really work on things and apply them.”

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Snyder described Johnson as a hungry to play and has the hope that he will continue to progress and be a key component of the team this season.

“We have many things in the right direction,” said Johnson. “We are only looking to continue building on the best list in the role this team had in a couple of years.”

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba