JalenJohnson

Preseason question: Can he be a no. 1 option? I love pretty much everything about Johnson’s game. He sees the floor incredibly well, knows how to leverage his athleticism in transition, possesses incredible power, and has no business being that fast. Johnson’s priority is to involve his teammates, but he isn’t overly deferential—a key distinction for any franchise player. But the more I watch Johnson, the more I see a worthy no. 2: someone who can’t take over games with methodical, independent shotmaking, as the headline of his opponent’s scouting report. When the game is played in molasses and every step forward is uphill, can Johnson carry Atlanta’s offense? Can the Hawks throw the ball to him in the post or let him isolate at the nail and be virtually guaranteed an efficient shot? That’s the difference between very good and great, and this season we’ll see how close Johnson gets to crossing that threshold.