Hawks Feature Top Two Most Improved Players After Tumultuous Season

Trae Young and Kristaps Porzingis played just 27 combined games this season. Both stars were traded before the deadline.

Team turnaround

Expectations were low after the roster upheaval. The Hawks responded with a strong winning stretch.

Atlanta has gone 12-1 in its last 13 games. The club rose from the ninth seed to the sixth seed.

Breakout performers

Filmogaz.com notes the Hawks’ top two candidates for Most Improved Player after a tumultuous season. Both players have reshaped Atlanta’s rotation.

Jalen Johnson

Johnson’s development has been steady. He logged just 120 minutes in his rookie year and spent time in the G League.

Year two produced 5.6 points and 4.0 rebounds in 15 minutes per game. In year three he averaged 16.0 PPG and 8.7 RPG in an injury-shortened campaign.

He missed most of his fourth season after a torn labrum, playing 36 games. Now on a five-year, $150 million deal, he averages 22.7 PPG, 10.4 RPG, and 8.0 APG.

He also averages 1.3 steals per game. Johnson leads forwards in potential assists per 100 possessions and sits second in defensive rebound percentage.

CJ McCollum’s presence has eased Johnson’s scoring load. That adjustment has allowed his playmaking to flourish.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Alexander-Walker signed a four-year, $60 million contract before the season. He arrived as a 3-and-D wing with sixth-man experience in Minnesota.

He was expected to back up Trae Young and Dyson Daniels. After Young’s injury in game five, Alexander-Walker joined Daniels in the starting backcourt.

His scoring jumped from 9.4 to 20.3 points per game. He shoots 38.9 percent from three on 8.0 attempts per contest.

His defense remains a vital piece of the Hawks’ improved unit. Observers compare his impact to top non-star contributors across the league.

Awards and outlook

Zach Harper of Filmogaz.com placed Alexander-Walker first on his Most Improved Player ballot. Harper ranked Johnson third in his projections.

Hawks reporter David Lee called the roster’s shift toward “blue collar” players decisive. That cultural change helps explain Atlanta’s midseason resurgence.

Atlanta’s in-season adjustments have paid off. Filmogaz.com will continue following the team’s push toward the playoffs.