Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson will undergo left shoulder surgery and miss the rest of the season, per NBA insider Chris Haynes.
Shams Charania of ESPN confirmed the news, reporting that Johnson will undergo surgery to repair the tear. The injury occurred last Thursday during the second quarter of a game against the Toronto Raptors, where Johnson was guarding Scottie Barnes.
This is a major setback for both Johnson and the Hawks. The 24-year-old was having a breakout season, averaging 18.9 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.0 block in 35.7 minutes per game.
His efficiency was also notable, shooting 50.0% from the field in 36 games, and he was quickly emerging as a potential All-Star and a strong contender for Most Improved Player.
Entering the season with a modest over/under win total of 35.5, the Hawks were 22-19 at the halfway mark. However, they’ve now dropped six straight games and find themselves sitting at 22-25, ninth in the Eastern Conference.
While they still look like a strong candidate to make the play-in tournament, the absence of Johnson will certainly hinder their playoff aspirations.
With Johnson out, the Hawks will likely lean more heavily on forwards Zaccharie Risacher and De’Andre Hunter to fill the void.
However, as Locked on Hawks’ Brad Rowland points out, there’s no immediate player on the roster who can replicate Johnson’s contributions on both ends of the floor.
The injury could also influence how the Hawks approach the upcoming trade deadline, though they won’t be motivated to tank, especially with their first-round pick already sent to San Antonio.
Atlanta won’t be able to apply for a disabled player exception (DPE) to replace Johnson, as the deadline to request one passed on January 15.
This is particularly frustrating considering Johnson was slated to enter restricted free agency this offseason but signed a five-year, $150 million extension in October, set to kick in for the 2025-26 season.
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