Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson cannot continue his breakout season due to a persistent ankle problem.

A Grade 2 lateral sprain in his right ankle was discovered through an MRI, the team announced on Thursday. He will undergo another evaluation in three weeks.

Ahead of the postseason play-in tournament against the Chicago Bulls, the Hawks (36-44) have only two remaining games in the regular season.

In his third season, the 22-year-old Johnson achieved career bests with averages of 16.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game across 56 games, 52 of which he started.

During Tuesday’s double-overtime 117-111 defeat to the Miami Heat, Johnson turned his ankle in the third quarter after scoring 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting and grabbing eight rebounds in just 24 minutes.

Previously, Johnson had sprained the same ankle against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 6, causing him to miss three games. He then aggravated the injury against the Los Angeles Lakers, resulting in a further absence of six games.

As a rookie in the 2021-22 season, Johnson averaged 2.4 points per game and then increased his contribution to 5.6 points per game last season before fully embracing a more significant role with the Hawks in the 2023-24 season.