Hawks’ Jalen Johnson sounds off on Rich Paul claiming Bucks should trade Giannis for him

The Atlanta Hawks are one of the hottest teams in the league as they’re riding a nine-game streak, their longest streak since the 2014-2015 season. Everybody on the team seems to be clicking at the right time, and Jalen Johnson has been the head of the snake, doing almost everything on the court.

Earlier in the season, there were rumors surrounding the Hawks and whether they would consider Johnson for Giannis Antetokounmpo, but they were quickly shut down. Rich Paul even got in on the rumors, and he suggested that the Milwaukee Bucks should trade for Johnson.

“If I’m the Bucks, I’m looking at a young player, high character, high talent, high IQ,” Paul said on his show with Max Kellerman. “I’m calling Atlanta. I want Jalen Johnson. He’s from Milwaukee.”

Johnson claims that he heard the rumors, but he was quickly reminded by the Hawks’ front office that they weren’t going to trade him, according to NBA insider Jake Fischer.

“That was probably the first time in my career [hearing] the rumors and stuff like that,” Johnson said. “But I got reassurance from everyone around here that that’s not the plan. Obviously, it means a lot … the trust they have in me and the belief they have in me.”

It looks like the Hawks did the right thing keeping Johnson, and he is set to be the franchise cornerstone for years to come. This season, Johnson is averaging 23.0 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 8.0 assists, and was a first-time All-Star. It wouldn’t be a surprise if, at the end of the season, he’s on an All-NBA team, which would be a major accomplishment for him.

There is still a lot of work for Johnson and the Hawks to complete, as they continue to try to climb the Eastern Conference standings down the stretch of the season.

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