Report: Hawks F Jalen Johnson (wrist) nearing return

Field Level Media|published: Sat 23rd December, 12:52 2023

Nov 25, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) grabs his arm after suffering an apparent injury against the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena. credits: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson could return from a wrist injury as early as Tuesday, ESPN reported Saturday.

Johnson, 22, has missed nearly a month after injuring his left wrist in the second quarter of the Hawks' 136-108 win over the Washington Wizards on Nov. 25.

The Hawks (12-16) released a statement Wednesday that Johnson had been cleared to return to full team practice but officially hasn't released any further details on Johnson.

Selected by the Hawks as the No. 20 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Johnson has become a key contributor for Atlanta this season. He is averaging 29.9 minutes per game, double his 14.9-minute average from last season.

The Hawks also have missed the defensive skills of Johnson, who gave the team the ability to be versatile on defense. He also matched up well with bigger forwards in the league.

Johnson averaged 14.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 15 games (12 starts) this season and shot 42.5 percent from the 3-point line.

The Hawks visit the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night.

—Field Level Media