Dyson Daniels was the talk of the NBA last season, winning Most Improved Player and finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. After a quiet first two seasons in New Orleans, Daniels averaged 14.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and a league-high 3.0 steals.
While last season was incredible, it is unrealistic to expect Daniels to recreate his success on the defensive end. The last time a player averaged 3 steals a game was over 30 years ago, and Daniels' DPOY placement benefited from injuries to early-season favorites for the award, Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren.
Daniels also faces one key disadvantage this season: the NBA now knows just how good he is. Entering last season as an unproven player, opponents didn't expect him to have the breakthrough year he did. With a full off-season for coaching staffs and players to review the tape, teams will be better equipped to mitigate Daniels' impact through carefully planned schemes to keep the G League Ignite product away from the ball.
Defensive regression, however, is not a good reason to be low on Daniels as a player long-term. He proved last season that he has the IQ, fundamentals, and instincts to control games with his defense. He crucially also proved that he belongs in an NBA offense.
Daniels might regress this season, but he is a one-of-a-kind player in his role
A defense-first player rarely earns the national spotlight the way Daniels did last season. Daniels was showered with praise from the media and fans last season during this legendary defensive season. His ability to earn praise almost entirely because of his defense underscores just how special a player Daniels is.
Daniels could still improve as an offensive player, particularly as a shooter. After shooting 31.2% from deep in his first two seasons, he improved his clip to 34.0% last year. If he can prove last season wasn't a fluke by continuing his upward trend from behind the arc, Daniels will solidify his spot as the league's best defense-first guard.
Daniels, who fans dubbed "The Great Barrier Thief" as a nod to his Australian roots, was the best perimeter defender in the league last season. While he may never recapture the success of this season, he will remain a top-tier perimeter defender for the foreseeable future.