The Post-Trae Era Rests on Jalen Johnson's Shoulders — and Atlanta Knows It

The Atlanta Hawks enter the 2026-27 season as one of the most fascinating — and fragile — teams in the Eastern Conference. When the Hawks traded Trae Young to Washington in January for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, they ended a seven-and-a-half-year era. Since then, the franchise has made clear who its new face is: Jalen Johnson.

Johnson's trajectory is the single biggest storyline in Atlanta. After posting 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game while shooting 48.9% from the field in 72 games last season, Johnson has become the engine of the offense. With Young gone, the ball moves through Johnson more than ever. The Hawks' season — and their 2028 championship hopes, as one recent report framed it — depends on whether Johnson can sustain that production as the focal point of every opposing scouting report.

But Johnson's emergence coincides with real questions about the roster around him. Atlanta was busy at the 2026 trade deadline, acquiring Jonathan Kuminga, Buddy Hield, Gabe Vincent, and Jock Landale while sending out Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kennard, and Vit Krejci. Then in July, the Hawks made a shocking addition, trading for Luguentz Dort. That move pushed the roster to 17 players, creating an inevitable squeeze before opening night. Multiple reports suggest further trades are likely, and three players are already viewed as most likely to be gone by the start of the season.

The new pieces bring a mix of strengths and concerns. Kuminga averaged 12.2 points on 46.3% shooting in just 36 games last year, giving Atlanta an athletic, versatile forward option alongside Johnson. Zaccharie Risacher posted modest rookie numbers (9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds in 67 games) and will need to take a significant step. Dort, a defensive stalwart, shot just 38.5% from the field last season — a reminder that his value is on the other end.

And defense is precisely where Atlanta has struggled. Over their final 10 games of last season, the Hawks went 3-7 with a defensive rating of 120.5 — bottom-tier production. In their last five, that number ballooned to 123.1. The closing stretch was ugly: a net rating of -38.6 over the final three games and just 93.2 points per game. Offseason additions help, but the defensive identity is unproven.

Complicating matters is a strengthening Eastern Conference. Cleveland's addition of Peyton Watson makes the Cavaliers more dangerous, while the Southeast Division also welcomes Klay Thompson to a rival. Atlanta's immediate outlook may not change drastically because of either move, but the margin for error in the East keeps shrinking.

The market sees a roughly .500 team: Atlanta's win total is set at 43.5, with championship odds around 66/1. That's a fair reflection of a franchise in transition — talented enough to be competitive, young enough to be unpredictable. The Hawks were 46-36 last season, but that was with Trae Young for part of the year and a far simpler conference landscape.

The real test starts in October. Atlanta opens its preseason slate against Memphis, then faces a regular-season gauntlet that begins with Orlando, Charlotte, and Houston twice. If Johnson elevates his game and the defense can approach league-average — the Hawks ranked 10th in defensive rating at 114.3 last season — this team has the talent to exceed expectations. If not, the rebuilding project could look a lot more complicated than advertised.

For now, the Hawks are betting on Johnson's wild trajectory. There's no path to contention in Atlanta that doesn't run straight through his production — and his growth as the unquestioned leader of a post-Trae roster.