Jalen Johnson may be better than De'Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish

[warcore]

3 hours ago, kg01 said:

Mods are confused AF tho.  "Do we step in here?"  "Is it gonna go too far?"  "Shhh, oh sh*t, kg's involved?!"

as long as @Final_quest doesn't tell Iryna what she really is to me in some pathetic attempt to win her over, I think the mods will let it keep rollin' 

[Final_quest]

3 hours ago, warcore said:

as long as @Final_quest doesn't tell Iryna what she really is to me in some pathetic attempt to win her over, I think the mods will let it keep rollin' 

I wish I could see Iryna again.  She was only in my ads one time yesterday.  Now all I'm getting is offers for RVs and sunroom enclosures.

[warcore]

8 minutes ago, Final_quest said:

I wish I could see Iryna again.  She was only in my ads one time yesterday.  Now all I'm getting is offers for RVs and sunroom enclosures.

OMG that's awful. Now I actually feel bad. I'm sorry, FQ. 

[Spud2nique]

17 minutes ago, Final_quest said:

I wish I could see Iryna again.  She was only in my ads one time yesterday.  Now all I'm getting is offers for RVs and sunroom enclosures.

they figured you closed the deal on her and looking for a place to stash her secretly  

Iryna in an RV, it’s like a movie  

[warcore]

59 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

it’s like a movie

we could fund the entire oussiders salary for a year..... 

[JayBirdHawk]

...And now back to our regular scheduled programming

Jalen Johnson is a keeper for Hawks

For five years, the Hawks have tried to draft a future All-Star to play alongside franchise point guard Trae Young. The best they could do is De’Andre Hunter, an OK starter. Now they finally did better with Jalen Johnson.

Johnson has provided an immediate boost since returning last week after a 14-game absence because of injury. He scored a career-high 24 points during the victory at Washington on Sunday. Johnson topped that with a team-high 28 points Wednesday at State Farm Arena as the Hawks beat the Thunder, one of the NBA’s better teams. Johnson was a bit player for two years after the Hawks drafted him 20th overall in 2021. Now he could get some votes for the NBA Most Improved Player award if he keeps it up and helps the Hawks (14-19) move up the Eastern Conference standings.

One reason they wobbled from late November through December is that Johnson was out with a wrist injury. They were 4-10 without Johnson, who can do everything they were missing. Johnson finishes strong at the rim and rebounds. He can play as a big wing (6-foot-9 with a 7-foot wingspan) or an athletic power forward. Johnson can handle pretty much any defensive assignment while guarding all areas of the floor. He’s unique among Hawks forwards for his ability to score and pass off the dribble.

“His, whether you call it playmaking or facilitating, I think he is getting more and more comfortable,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said after the victory over the Thunder. “And our team is getting more comfortable with him having the ball in his hand, whether in transition or in situations (like) tonight where they were coming to double (team) and trying to impact our guards. He’s capable of making plays and making plays for other people as well.

“You’ve seen him do that in practice settings. But I think his comfort and confidence doing that in games against a good team, that’s something that’s unique to him with his size and athleticism.”

Johnson is the type of two-way forward that all teams covet: big, versatile and skilled. He’s especially important to the smallish, guard-dominated and defensively challenged Hawks. Johnson leads the Hawks in defensive rebounding (6.7 per game), is tied for second in steals (1.2) and has the team’s best defensive rating (points allowed per possession when he’s on the floor).

Johnson is averaging 15.3 points per game as one of the more efficient scorers in the league. Per Cleaning the Glass, Johnson ranks first in points per shot attempt among forwards who’ve played at least 500 minutes. He’s converted 73% of his shot attempts at the rim, tied for fifth in that group. Johnson has improved his 3-point shooting, too, and now is making 42% of his nearly three attempts per game.

Johnson likely will end up as the best of the Hawks’ [more recent] draft picks even though he was selected the latest. He’s giving them more than Hunter (acquired with the No. 8 pick in 2019), Cam Reddish (No. 10 in 2019, traded in 2022) and Onyeka Okongwu (No. 6 in 2020). Johnson also has a higher ceiling than the two players the Hawks drafted most recently, AJ Griffin (No. 16 in 2022) and Kobe Bufkin (No. 15 in 2023). Johnson’s rapid improvement is a bright spot for the Hawks during a so-far disappointing season. There’s room for him to grow because he’s 22 years old with only 1,740 minutes played in the NBA.

The Hawks have been stuck in the middle for going on three years. To break free, they must make a significant trade for a veteran player before next month’s deadline. No deal should include Johnson unless the Hawks get back a high-level starter under contract for multiple seasons. Johnson’s rookie-scale contract expires after next season. To keep him beyond then, the Hawks either will have to fend off free-agent suitors or sign Johnson to a contract extension.

They’ll have to shed the contracts of some high-priced players to do that and avoid paying the luxury tax. Hunter and Dejounte Murray are obvious candidates. Johnson is better than Hunter. If the Hawks trade Murray for a bigger guard or wing who’s a rugged defender, then Johnson can take on some of Murray’s scoring and playmaking duties.

Trading away Murray and increasing Johnson’s role also would help alleviate offensive stagnation late in games. There have been too many possessions with Murray and Young dribbling out the clock. The traps and blitzes that opponents deploy with big defenders wouldn’t be as effective with “point forward” Johnson as a primary option.

The Hawks finally found another potential star in the draft with Johnson. Keeping him for the long term and increasing his role should be a priority.

https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/nba/article283856148.html

[Spud2nique]

1 hour ago, JayBirdHawk said:

...And now back to our regular scheduled programming

Jalen Johnson is a keeper for Hawks

For five years, the Hawks have tried to draft a future All-Star to play alongside franchise point guard Trae Young. The best they could do is De’Andre Hunter, an OK starter. Now they finally did better with Jalen Johnson.

Johnson has provided an immediate boost since returning last week after a 14-game absence because of injury. He scored a career-high 24 points during the victory at Washington on Sunday. Johnson topped that with a team-high 28 points Wednesday at State Farm Arena as the Hawks beat the Thunder, one of the NBA’s better teams. Johnson was a bit player for two years after the Hawks drafted him 20th overall in 2021. Now he could get some votes for the NBA Most Improved Player award if he keeps it up and helps the Hawks (14-19) move up the Eastern Conference standings.

One reason they wobbled from late November through December is that Johnson was out with a wrist injury. They were 4-10 without Johnson, who can do everything they were missing. Johnson finishes strong at the rim and rebounds. He can play as a big wing (6-foot-9 with a 7-foot wingspan) or an athletic power forward. Johnson can handle pretty much any defensive assignment while guarding all areas of the floor. He’s unique among Hawks forwards for his ability to score and pass off the dribble.

“His, whether you call it playmaking or facilitating, I think he is getting more and more comfortable,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said after the victory over the Thunder. “And our team is getting more comfortable with him having the ball in his hand, whether in transition or in situations (like) tonight where they were coming to double (team) and trying to impact our guards. He’s capable of making plays and making plays for other people as well.

“You’ve seen him do that in practice settings. But I think his comfort and confidence doing that in games against a good team, that’s something that’s unique to him with his size and athleticism.”

Johnson is the type of two-way forward that all teams covet: big, versatile and skilled. He’s especially important to the smallish, guard-dominated and defensively challenged Hawks. Johnson leads the Hawks in defensive rebounding (6.7 per game), is tied for second in steals (1.2) and has the team’s best defensive rating (points allowed per possession when he’s on the floor).

Johnson is averaging 15.3 points per game as one of the more efficient scorers in the league. Per Cleaning the Glass, Johnson ranks first in points per shot attempt among forwards who’ve played at least 500 minutes. He’s converted 73% of his shot attempts at the rim, tied for fifth in that group. Johnson has improved his 3-point shooting, too, and now is making 42% of his nearly three attempts per game.

Johnson likely will end up as the best of the Hawks’ [more recent] draft picks even though he was selected the latest. He’s giving them more than Hunter (acquired with the No. 8 pick in 2019), Cam Reddish (No. 10 in 2019, traded in 2022) and Onyeka Okongwu (No. 6 in 2020). Johnson also has a higher ceiling than the two players the Hawks drafted most recently, AJ Griffin (No. 16 in 2022) and Kobe Bufkin (No. 15 in 2023). Johnson’s rapid improvement is a bright spot for the Hawks during a so-far disappointing season. There’s room for him to grow because he’s 22 years old with only 1,740 minutes played in the NBA.

The Hawks have been stuck in the middle for going on three years. To break free, they must make a significant trade for a veteran player before next month’s deadline. No deal should include Johnson unless the Hawks get back a high-level starter under contract for multiple seasons. Johnson’s rookie-scale contract expires after next season. To keep him beyond then, the Hawks either will have to fend off free-agent suitors or sign Johnson to a contract extension.

They’ll have to shed the contracts of some high-priced players to do that and avoid paying the luxury tax. Hunter and Dejounte Murray are obvious candidates. Johnson is better than Hunter. If the Hawks trade Murray for a bigger guard or wing who’s a rugged defender, then Johnson can take on some of Murray’s scoring and playmaking duties.

Trading away Murray and increasing Johnson’s role also would help alleviate offensive stagnation late in games. There have been too many possessions with Murray and Young dribbling out the clock. The traps and blitzes that opponents deploy with big defenders wouldn’t be as effective with “point forward” Johnson as a primary option.

The Hawks finally found another potential star in the draft with Johnson. Keeping him for the long term and increasing his role should be a priority.

https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/nba/article283856148.html

Remember when I wanted a jersey not Trae or OO and you suggested JJ. I thought about it, he keeps hammering me to get his with his play, dayummmm  

[Spud2nique]

23 hours ago, Spud2nique said:

Remember when I wanted a jersey not Trae or OO and you suggested JJ. I thought about it, he keeps hammering me to get his with his play, dayummmm  

All in on his jersey now #keepersTraeJJ

NBA Trade Rumors: Hawks' Bogdan Bogdanović Expected to Generate Interest at Deadline

JACK MURRAY
JANUARY 06, 2024

The Atlanta Hawks appear set to be sellers at the NBA trade deadline.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported that the Hawks are looking to build around Trae Young and Jalen Johnson and that all other pieces are on the table.

"Atlanta is determined to, as one source described it, 'build around Trae and Jalen Johnson' going forward under new coach Quin Snyder," Stein wrote. "Which means [Dejounte] Murray, De'Andre Hunter and Clint Capela, most notably, are all available in potential trades … and with sharpshooter Bogdan Bogdanović expected to generate as much external interest as any current Hawk."

The 31-year-old is averaging 17.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 31 games in 2023-24, making two starts thus far.

He's in his fourth season with the Hawks and has been a solid presence off the bench during his time with the team.

And while Bogdanović is signed through the 2026-27 season, he's on a relatively team-friendly deal that pays out $17.2 million in 2024-25 and $16 million in 2025-26. He also holds a $16 million team option for the 2026-27 campaign.

 

[TheNorthCydeRises]

2 hours ago, Spud2nique said:

All in on his jersey now #keepersTraeJJ

NBA Trade Rumors: Hawks' Bogdan Bogdanović Expected to Generate Interest at Deadline

JACK MURRAY
JANUARY 06, 2024

The Atlanta Hawks appear set to be sellers at the NBA trade deadline.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported that the Hawks are looking to build around Trae Young and Jalen Johnson and that all other pieces are on the table.

"Atlanta is determined to, as one source described it, 'build around Trae and Jalen Johnson' going forward under new coach Quin Snyder," Stein wrote. "Which means [Dejounte] Murray, De'Andre Hunter and Clint Capela, most notably, are all available in potential trades … and with sharpshooter Bogdan Bogdanović expected to generate as much external interest as any current Hawk."

The 31-year-old is averaging 17.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 31 games in 2023-24, making two starts thus far.

He's in his fourth season with the Hawks and has been a solid presence off the bench during his time with the team.

And while Bogdanović is signed through the 2026-27 season, he's on a relatively team-friendly deal that pays out $17.2 million in 2024-25 and $16 million in 2025-26. He also holds a $16 million team option for the 2026-27 campaign.

 

 

I always was under the belief that they re-signed Bogi for that many years, in order to have him be a part of a big trade.  But as long as Bogi is in the lineup, and DJ is on the team, where is AJ going to get his minutes?  And if AJ isn't good enough to get minutes, we shouldn't hesitate to move him.

But Bogi is the most attractive.  Hawks would be smart to sell high on him now, and see if they can get a player who can shoot, but provide much better defense.

[Spud2nique]

5 hours ago, TheNorthCydeRises said:

where is AJ going to get his minutes? 

Ya I mean I love Bogi but if he’s dealt if frees up burn for AJ.

[marco102]

Yeah, I'd say he's on a much better trajectory than Dre and Cam.

The 7 assists are what I'm most intrigued by.

[hylndr11]

He just has got to stop getting lost on Def, if he can get that under control oh yea we got very serious player.

[theheroatl]

Jalen has the "dog" factor that you need in a budding star.. We finally have our 2nd piece next to Trae. 

[JayBirdHawk]

32 minutes ago, theheroatl said:

We finally have our 2nd piece next to Trae. 

[Atlantaholic]

On 1/6/2024 at 7:35 PM, TheNorthCydeRises said:

 

I always was under the belief that they re-signed Bogi for that many years, in order to have him be a part of a big trade.  But as long as Bogi is in the lineup, and DJ is on the team, where is AJ going to get his minutes?  And if AJ isn't good enough to get minutes, we shouldn't hesitate to move him.

But Bogi is the most attractive.  Hawks would be smart to sell high on him now, and see if they can get a player who can shoot, but provide much better defense.

Love Bogi, but yea, it's time to punt any hopes at a run this year and try to retool for the next 2-3 years. Guys like Cap, Hunter Bogi and DJM need to be moved... everyone outside of Trae and JJ.

[JayBirdHawk]

 

 

[Spud2nique]

6 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said:

 

 

@JayBirdHawk I want his body! I mean, I like his body!  

 

Yo Burd seriously we like tight cats over the years, JJ getting those rounded chizzlwd shoulder definition that’s kinda tough to nail perfectly, wow.

he’s tooooooiiight! Like a tiger yesh!

@JayBirdHawk I’m goldmember here and Austin is JJ  

Ps Michale Cane is @kg01 here like yo wtf don’t say that about another dude  

Edited January 11 by Spud2nique

[JayBirdHawk]

7 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

Yo Burd seriously we like tight cats over the years, JJ getting those rounded chizzlwd shoulder definition that’s kinda tough to nail perfectly, wow.

he’s tooooooiiight! Like a tiger yesh!

8 minutes ago, Spud2nique said:

@JayBirdHawk I want his body! I mean, I like his body!  

OO needs to get his right too.

[marco102]

 

[hylndr11]

1 hour ago, JayBirdHawk said:

Hopefully the pitch to players.now will be build a team around Trea and JJ , makes a lot more sense than just Trae