Jalen Johnson reaches surprising contract agreement with Hawks
Oct 14, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) is introduced before a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Despite some pessimism in recent days, the Atlanta Hawks have locked down Jalen Johnson for the foreseeable future.
Johnson and the Hawks agreed to a five-year, $150 extension, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. The new deal was agreed just before the 5 p.m. deadline for rookie extensions.
Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson has agreed to a five-year, $150 million rookie contract extension with the franchise, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and representative Lucas Newton told ESPN. Major new deal for Atlanta’s young cornerstone. pic.twitter.com/bzlK7SCQNg
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 21, 2024
As recently as Sunday, Marc Stein reported on his Substack that the two sides were not trending toward any sort of agreement. Obviously, things changed in the last 24 hours, though it does appear talks went right up until the deadline.
Had no deal been reached, Johnson would have been eligible for restricted free agency next offseason.
Johnson is coming off a third-season breakout. After two years as a rotational player, he averaged 16.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game in 2023-24, and emerged as a central part of the Hawks’ future.