Jalen Johnson was listed day-to-day on Atlanta's Monday injury report under a rest/other designation, two days after a preseason outing in which he scored 20 points against the Pacers, and his availability for the Hawks' game against Oklahoma City is not confirmed beyond that listing. If he sits, the Hawks will lean on Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu and the rest of Atlanta's rotation to cover the 35.2 minutes a game he logged last season.
What happened
Jalen Johnson is listed as day-to-day on the Hawks' injury report issued Monday, Oct. 12 at 5:39 p.m. ET, with the designation marked rest/other ahead of Atlanta's game against the Thunder that night. The 24-year-old forward had been cleared from day-to-day status on Saturday, two days after first appearing on the report Thursday under the same rest designation. The report's accompanying note points to his performance in Saturday's preseason finale, a 119-117 win over the Pacers, in which Johnson scored 20 points on 8-for-12 shooting, including 2-for-2 from three, with seven rebounds and three assists in 25 minutes.
What it means for the Hawks
Atlanta hosts Oklahoma City later Monday, and Johnson's game-time status is uncertain for that matchup. Last season he averaged 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists in 35.2 minutes across 72 games, numbers that made him one of the Hawks' most productive two-way forwards. If he sits, the minutes shift to Nickeil Alexander-Walker (33.4 minutes, 20.8 points), Dyson Daniels (33.2 minutes, 11.9 points), Onyeka Okongwu (31.0 minutes, 15.2 points), CJ McCollum (28.8 minutes, 18.7 points), Trae Young (28.0 minutes, 19.3 points), Keshon Gilbert (25.5 minutes, 11.0 points), Kristaps Porzingis (24.3 minutes, 17.1 points) and Zaccharie Risacher (22.4 minutes, 9.6 points). Atlanta has no regular-season games yet this season, so there is no record to measure with or without him.
What to watch
Johnson is expected back by Oct. 16, according to the injury report, though Monday's listing does not confirm whether he plays against the Thunder. Atlanta continues the preseason slate before its 2026-27 regular-season opener, and the team will issue updated injury reports before each remaining game. Watch for Johnson's name on the next report to see whether the rest designation clears or if the Hawks hold him out again.
Is Jalen Johnson playing vs Thunder?
He is listed day-to-day with a rest/other designation on Monday's injury report, which does not specify whether he will play. His status for the game against the Thunder is not announced beyond that listing.
When will Jalen Johnson be back?
The injury report lists an expected return date of Oct. 16, 2026.