Trae Young is gone. If you missed the news, the blockbuster trade sending the franchise cornerstone to the Washington Wizards on January 7, 2026, officially flipped the script in Atlanta.
Suddenly, the keys to the city belong to Jalen Johnson.
It’s a massive weight for a 24-year-old, but looking at Jalen Johnson last 5 games, he’s not just surviving the pressure—he’s basically reinventing what it means to be a point-forward in this league. He’s putting up numbers that look more like Nikola Jokic than a standard wing. Honestly, it's kind of wild to see a guy his size (6’9”) initiating the offense, crashing the boards, and defending the opponent's best player all in the same 38-minute shift.
He’s the primary engine now. No more waiting for Trae to set the table.
Breaking Down Jalen Johnson Last 5 Games
The Hawks have gone through a whirlwind lately, traveling from Denver to San Francisco and back to Portland. Through that stretch, Johnson has been the only constant. Here is the raw data from his most recent outings:
On January 15, against the Portland Trail Blazers, Johnson logged 38 minutes in a 117-101 loss. He struggled with his shot, going 4-for-9 from the field for 12 points, but he still managed to grab 11 rebounds and dish out 6 assists. It was a "floor" game for him, yet he still walked away with a double-double.
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Two days prior, on January 13, the Hawks got smoked by the Lakers 141-116. Jalen finished with 13 points, 6 assists, and 3 rebounds. It was a rough night at Crypto.com Arena where he shot just 29.4% from the floor. You’ve gotta expect these growing pains when a player becomes the undisputed #1 option on every scouting report.
Then you look at the January 11 win over Golden State. That was the masterpiece.
He dropped 23 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocks. He looked like a superstar.
He followed that with a dominant performance against Denver on January 9, scoring 29 points on a blistering 12-of-18 shooting, including 5 triples. When Jalen is hitting the long ball like that, he’s basically unguardable.
And let's not forget the January 7 game against New Orleans, the day the Trae Young trade was finalized. Jalen put up 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists.
The Statistical Surge
If you average those out, we're talking about a guy hovering around 19.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per night over this specific five-game window. But that doesn't even tell the whole story. If you zoom out just a tiny bit further to the last 10-15 games, he’s actually averaging closer to a 24/10/8 triple-double threat.
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The volume has shifted.
Before the trade, he was a secondary playmaker. Now? Everything runs through him. According to recent tracking data, his usage rate has spiked significantly since the calendar turned to 2026. He's no longer just a "transition threat"; he's a half-court orchestrator.
The "Trae-Less" Reality in Atlanta
Most people thought the Hawks would crater after moving Trae Young. While they are 20-23 and sitting 10th in the East, the vibe is different. It’s more egalitarian.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker has stepped up as a secondary scorer, averaging nearly 21 points over his last 10, but Jalen is the sun they all orbit. The chemistry with rookie Zaccharie Risacher is already showing flashes of brilliance. On January 7, Risacher dropped 25 points, mostly fueled by Johnson's ability to draw the defense and kick to the corners.
It’s not all sunshine, though.
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The turnovers are a bit high. He had 6 giveaways against Portland and another 6 against New Orleans. That’s the tax you pay for letting a young forward learn how to be a primary ball-handler on the fly. He’s forced to make reads he never had to make when Trae was the one being blitzed at the level of the screen.
Why Fantasy Managers Are Obsessed
If you’re lucky enough to have him in your fantasy league, you’re basically looking at a top-10 asset right now. His "stocks" (steals + blocks) have been elite. He’s averaging 1.3 steals and 0.5 blocks on the season, but his defensive activity has felt even more impactful during this recent road trip.
He’s one of the few players in the league who can legitimately give you 20/10/8 on 50% shooting.
What’s Next for the Hawks’ New Star?
The Hawks are currently leaning on him maybe a bit too much. Experts at Soaring Down South have noted that the Hawks are desperate to find him a legitimate co-star—someone like Jaren Jackson Jr.—to take the defensive pressure off.
Until that happens, expect Jalen to keep logging 35+ minutes a night.
The shooting is the big swing factor. In the Denver game, he was 5-of-6 from deep. In the Portland and New Orleans games? He was 0-for-8 combined. If he can stabilize that jumper at around 35-37%, he’s an All-NBA candidate. Period.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
- Watch the Assist Props: With Trae Young gone, Jalen’s assist floor is now consistently 6 or 7. Books are still catching up to his role as the primary "point-forward."
- The Fatigue Factor: He is playing massive minutes. Keep an eye on his fourth-quarter efficiency, as the heavy usage might lead to tired legs on the back end of double-headers.
- The Risacher Connection: If you’re looking at Hawks player props, Jalen’s gravity usually leads to open looks for Zaccharie Risacher. They are becoming a formidable 1-2 punch in the making.
The era of Jalen Johnson is officially here. It’s messy, it’s high-octane, and it’s exactly what Atlanta needed to jumpstart a new chapter.