Most fans didn’t know it at the time, but the Atlanta Hawks struck gold when they traded Dejounte Murray over the summer. After all, nobody could have predicted the kind of leap Dyson Daniels would take in his first season as a Hawk.
The Great Barrier Thief has already established himself as a fan favorite in Atlanta. Daniels’ low-usage offense and All-NBA defense have made him the perfect backcourt mate for Trae Young, and the Hawks are reportedly committed to ensuring Daniels is a part of their future for years to come.
Per NBA insider Jake Fischer for the Stein Line, Daniels is expected to get a long-term contract extension from the Hawks. Daniels will become eligible for such an extension next offseason.
“Daniels won’t turn 22 until March,” Fischer wrote. “His own upcoming payday — yes, that’s coming — looks as though it will be well-deserved.”
In his third NBA season, Daniels has averaged 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on 44.7% shooting from the field. His jumper still needs work, as evidenced by his 31.2% clip from three and 64.9% shooting on free throws, but the young Aussie has become a key cog in Atlanta’s high-octane offense. Daniels’ unselfishness has made him the ideal connective combo guard for a Hawks squad that currently ranks third in team assists per game.
Dyson Daniels looks like an all-time great defender in the making
Daniels looks like the best defensive guard in the league right now, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to say he is on an all-time great trajectory as a defender. The two-way stud is averaging a league-high 3.0 steals and a league-high 6.3 deflections.
Daniels is currently on pace to shatter the single-season record for deflections, previously set by Robert Covington with 315 in the 2017-18 season. If Daniels kept up his current pace and only missed a few more games for the rest of the season, he would set an NBA record with around 500 deflections.
Barring injury, Daniels should undoubtedly lock up the NBA Hustle Award with his absurd activity on the perimeter. He is also a strong candidate for Most Improved Player and should make an All-Defensive Team.
In Atlanta’s latest NBA Cup win over the New York Knicks, Daniels was tasked with guarding Jalen Brunson all night. Needless to say, the Great Barrier Thief delivered. Brunson scored just 14 points on 5/15 shooting (2/6 from three) in 35 minutes of play.
The legend of Daniels is growing as more national media members are paying attention to his defensive wizardry. The pinnacle of Daniels' recognition came when he recently won the league's first-ever Defensive Player of the Month award for the Eastern Conference.
Former NFL veteran Harry Douglas gave Daniels high praise on his ESPN Radio show “Freddie and Harry” with co-host Freddie Coleman.
“That young player by the name of Dyson Daniels had that boy (Brunson) in a straightjacket last night,” Douglas said. “He couldn’t move. He couldn’t get anywhere, could barely get his shot off. Looked flustered, looked like a player that we haven’t seen since his days at Villanova.”
"DYSON DANIELS HAD JALEN BRUNSON IN A STRAIGHTJACKET LAST NIGHT."@HDouglas83 https://t.co/mh7vyouapI pic.twitter.com/A3ARPVjx7O
— Freddie and Harry (@FreddieandHD) December 12, 2024
Daniels has truly blossomed into one of the most promising young defenders in recent years. To average 3.0 steals in your first season as a starter is nothing short of incredible. Through two-and-a-half seasons and 144 regular-season games, Daniels has averaged 2.3 steals per 36 minutes.
Daniels is on a defensive mission this season, and it doesn’t look like he can be stopped. Atlanta will almost certainly give him a sizable extension next summer, but make no mistake about it – nobody deserves it more than the Great Barrier Thief.