Johnson's development has made his contract one of the most favorable in the league, making a trade for a star like Anthony Edwards possible.
One storyline that has flown under the radar this season is Jalen Johnson's emergence. Johnson, who was the cheapest All-Star in 2026 who was not still on their rookie contract, offers a unique opportunity for the Hawks to start building around him moving forward.
In a league where an All-Star-caliber player typically entails a hefty price tag, Jalen Johnson, only in the first year of his 5-year, $150 million contract, grants the Atlanta front office extreme flexibility this offseason to make big splashes and be more aggressive than the organization usually is.