The Atlanta Hawks and Jalen Johnson reached an agreement on a rookie contract extension on Monday, rewarding the 6-foot-9 forward for his breakout season in 2023-24.
The Hawks did not share specific details about the deal, which comes just two days before Wednesday night’s opening game of Johnson’s fourth season. According to ESPN, the contract is for $150 million over five years.
Johnson, who was the No. 20 pick in the 2021 NBA draft, became a key scorer and rebounder last season. He set new career highs with averages of 16 points and 8.7 rebounds.
“Jalen Johnson embodies the characteristics we look for as an organization, both on and off the court,” said Hawks general manager Landry Fields in a statement released by the team.
“He has shown continuous improvement each year and has the character and the work ethic to continue to grow his game. He has developed into a significant part of our team, and we’re thrilled to continue his development in Atlanta.”
Even though Johnson missed 14 games due to a wrist injury in December, he started 52 games after having only six starts in his first two seasons. His scoring average nearly tripled from 5.6 points in his second season.
Johnson joins point guard Trae Young and wing Zaccharie Risacher, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, as key players for Atlanta after the decision to trade guard Dejounte Murray during the offseason.
