Hawks’ Jalen Johnson is next Scottie Pippen? LeBron says he could be.

“I’ve mentioned Scottie Pippen, man,” James said. “Obviously, he has a long way to go, but as far as the talent. You look at a guy with long arms, 6-(foot)-9 (or) 6-10, runs like a deer, super athletic. He’s improved his outside touch.

“Putting pressure on the rim. His ability to rebound. He can guard (positions) one through five for the majority of (opposing) ones and fives … And his playmaking. I see that he is going to continue to improve.”

It might seem premature to compare Johnson with Pippen, even with the caveat that he has work to do to reach that level.

Pippen was selected for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame after a 17-year career that included winning six NBA championships with Michael Jordan in Chicago. Johnson, 24, has yet to even make an All-Star team.

But James sees potential for greatness for Johnson, who has blossomed into his team’s star with Young out injured for most of this season. Before Wednesday’s game, Johnson was averaging 23.7 points, 10.4 rebounds and 8.4 assists. Only three-time league MVP Nikola Jokić is doing better than 23/10/8.

Johnson has played in only 219 career games. He’s started less than 60% of those games and just now has become a featured player. So, considering his talent, production and age, it’s not outlandish to project a great career for Johnson if he stays healthy.

Johnson said he envisions greatness for himself.

“For sure,” he said Wednesday, before the news of the Young trade. “I just try to be the best player and best person I can be every day. That’s kind of the mindset I’ve developed since being in the NBA. Just try to get better each and every day.

“And if you’re consistent with your work and consistent with everything else, I just believe everything is going to take care of itself.”

Johnson is a late bloomer by today’s NBA standards.

The Hawks selected him with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2021 draft out of Duke. As a rookie, he couldn’t crack the playing rotation for a veteran team that went to the East finals the previous year. Injuries stymied Johnson’s development over the past two seasons.

Johnson had shoulder surgery for a torn labrum a year ago. He came back better than ever this season. Johnson does it all on the court, especially in transition, where few players are better with the ball. His development into a high-level “point forward” makes it easier for the Hawks to move on from Young, an elite playmaker.

With Young, the Hawks were led by an undersized point guard with declining offensive efficiency and defensive weaknesses that are difficult to scheme around. With Johnson, they are led by a big wing who scores and passes efficiently and can be used in switching defensive alignments against pick-and-rolls.

Johnson has room to grow. He’s very good at rebounding opponent misses and producing deflections and steals, but his focus wavers as a team defender. Johnson’s ballhandling could be tighter. Per Cleaning the Glass, Johnson’s turnover percentage ranks fourth worst among players who are the focal point for their team’s offense (minimum 800 minutes).

Johnson is going through the growing pains that are common for players once they take on bigger roles. He has had less than half a season to figure it out.

“I think he’s playing at an All-Star level, and I think, with some (good) health, I think he’s a perennial All-Star,” Nash said on the podcast. “Because this is the first year he’s had this much responsibility.”

Said James: “One thing about our league, it’s all about confidence and opportunity, and once you take advantage of that opportunity and your confidence continues to (grow), you are like, ‘I know I can do this every night.’”

Johnson is doing that this season.

In December, he averaged 25.8 points, 11.2 rebounds and 10.1 assists. Johnson is the seventh player in NBA history to average a triple-double in a month with at least 25 points per game (minimum 10 games). The others: James, Jokić (six times), Oscar Robertson (seven), Russell Westbrook (six), Luke Doncic (three) and Wilt Chamberlain.

Time will tell if Johnson can become an all-time great like Pippen. He’s already so good that the Hawks rightly view him as the centerpiece of their post-Young era.

“The confidence has been key this year, stemming from the work with my teammates and coaches,” Johnson said. “I think it’s more just being myself. I think when you are yourself, it allows you to play at a consistent level. It allows you to be free and play open-minded.”