How Quin Snyder ‘made up’ Jaylen Johnson after the CJ McCollum trade

The The Atlanta Hawks are still figuring it out exactly what they are after they reshaped their roster, but they’re coming back early from the acquisition CJ McCollum suggest Quinn SnyderThe developing offensive hierarchy is starting to pay off. The Jalen JohnsonThe lead-up team has won two of its first three games since the NBA All-Star break and is riding a relatively good schedule. From February 23 to March 30, the Hawks play just five games on the road. Of the 14 home contests during that stretch, seven opponents are already focused on improving their NBA draft lottery odds.

Winning the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and avoiding the NBA tournament entirely is still a far-reaching possibility after the Tree Young trade. However, the new starting line-up of Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-WalkerCJ McCollum, Jalen Johnson and Onieka Okongwu provided offensive balance without sacrificing too much defensively. McCollum is the only real target, but the other four do a decent job of protecting the rim and keeping opponents out of the paint. The ninth-ranked Hawks (28-31) showed improvement color dots allowed in the last five games, for example.

It shows that this team still plays with pride and a commitment to improvement. The wins should follow, given the schedule situation. Snyder truly believes they could pull off some postseason upsets along the way, especially if McCollum catches fire in a few key games.

“We’re kind of struggling. We’ve played without a point guard this season and we’ve played without a clean center this season. So the influx of a guy like CJ who gives us another player, another pick-and-roll player, can be really valuable for everybody,” Snyder explained. “We’re going through the process of integrating those guys, and we’re going to keep grinding.”

Although the offensive hierarchy is still a work in progress, Snyder measures success outside of the win column.

“I’m really more focused on how we play, how we grow and how we come together,” Snyder said. “We want to win every game, but to a certain extent. You expect tough sailing every time your team changes. Hopefully we can play in a way that we can repeat and be successful.”

The Hawks, who now no longer employ Young, operated without any traditional floor generals. Instead, Snyder distributed the playmaking duties around the roster, a change he described as due to circumstances. What has emerged is a multi-headed approach to game creation that distributes creation across the roster rather than channeling everything through one main keeper.

CJ McCollum helps the Hawks

The 22-year-old Australian was the most visible example of that evolution. Originally acquired for his defense, Dyson Daniels has grown into a primary ball handler circumstances and, according to Snyder, accepted the challenge.

“Necessity can be the mother of invention,” Snyder noted. “Deason has really evolved into that (pay) role, which has been great to see him progress. He makes plays for other people, handles the ball and guards that position. (Daniels) has really filled that role for us and grown as a player.”

Johnson is allowed to stick to what’s comfortable, with great success. Fortunately, the Hawks already have their young face of the franchise in-house, share a clear development plan and know how to best utilize that future MVP-caliber talent now.

“Jalen, again, he’s unique in his ability to pass and handle the ball, especially in the open court. (Johnson) isn’t in a position where we’re asking him to lead the team, but there’s a lot of things we do where he starts the ball,” Snyder admitted. “We put him in the pick-and-roll as much as any other player. That’s a big key for us. That versatility with a lot of players and multiple playmakers is something that we really feel is important for us and that we’re trying to take advantage of. Jalen is at the top of that list.”

The result is an offense without a rigid hierarchy. Daniels organizes the attack, Johnson initiates actions from the front field, and McCollum scores. Nickeil Alexander-Walker rounds out the playmaking picture as an unconventional but effective collaborator. Snyder encouraged the 26-year-old guard to be more aggressive offensively in the next few months.

“Playmaking wise, you know (Alexander-Walker) can get into the lane,” Snyder said. “He’s not your typical playmaker, but I think he’s unselfish and willing to get off the ball when he’s guarded. … We’ve tried to encourage him to be really aggressive shooting. Even some contested shots from three.”

With McCollum adding another reliable pick-and-roll operator and a veteran scoring option from the wing, Snyder’s rotations generate enough offense to remain competitive, even as the roster continues to find its footing. With a soft schedule ahead and a new offensive identity, the Hawks are betting that necessity-driven fabrication leads to the NBA playoffs. That test will show the front office what it takes to chase a top four seed next season.