Jalen Johnson Ruled Out Wednesday as the Hawks' Injury Carousel Continues

Jalen Johnson is officially out for Wednesday's matchup against the Washington Wizards with an ankle injury. Underdog NBA dropped the final status update, sending fantasy managers and bettors into their usual state of pre-game panic.

Seeing Johnson on an injury report is basically a scheduled event for the Atlanta Hawks at this point. It is like a streaming service raising its prices—you know it is coming, but it still forces you to reevaluate all your life choices right before tip-off.

The frustration is entirely tied to how good he is when he actually stays on the floor. Johnson has been stuffing the stat sheet this season, averaging 21.7 points and 10 rebounds per game. Those are the kind of numbers that swing fantasy matchups and bust player prop unders before halftime.

The problem is keeping him in the lineup. A quick glance at his medical history looks like a CVS receipt of ailments. Just over the last year, he has missed time with shoulder, calf, thigh, wrist, and now multiple ankle issues, piling onto the 46 games he missed last season.

For anyone looking at Wednesday's slate, this official out tag is a massive headache. With Johnson sitting, the entire Atlanta rotation shifts, meaning you have to scramble to figure out who absorbs his massive usage rate before locking in any wagers.

The Hawks now have to patch together a frontcourt against Washington. Expect Atlanta to rely heavily on their bench to eat up those minutes, leaving the rest of us to guess which backup is about to randomly drop 20 points.