Hawks forward Jalen Johnson to miss 3-4 weeks with left wrist fracture

Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson will miss three to four weeks due to a left wrist injury, the team announced Sunday.

Johnson went down in the first half of Atlanta's 136-108 win over the Washington Wizards on Saturday night and landed on his left wrist. An MRI on Sunday morning led to him being diagnosed with a left distal radius fracture. He will be evaluated again in three to four weeks, which could keep him out until the end of the calendar year.

Johnson, during a fast break at Capital One Arena on Saturday night, went up to dunk and was fouled by Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma at the rim. Johnson awkwardly crashed down to the court and landed directly on his left wrist, which he grabbed instantly in pain. He shot two free throws after drawing the foul before leaving the game.

Johnson finished the game with eight points, one rebound and one assist in eight minutes.

Johnson is in the middle of a breakout season for the Hawks. The 21-year-old, who the Hawks took with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, has averaged a career-high 14.1 points and 7.3 rebounds this season while shooting just shy of 60% from the field. He has played his way into the Most Improved Player mix this season after averaging 5.6 points per game last season.

The Hawks sit at 8-7 ahead of Sunday’s game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden, which marks the second of a five-game road trip. If Johnson is sidelined for just four weeks, he could return in time for the Hawks' game against the Chicago Bulls on Dec. 26.