It’s pretty obvious that Dyson Daniels is a unique player and an essential part of this young Hawks team. He’s worked very hard since arriving in July of 2024, but his biggest weakness is still prevalent in October of 2026.
Daniels continues to struggle from deep
The Hawks are coming off their 123-116 victory over the San Antonio Spurs, and Dyson finished the game with 13 points while grabbing 11 rebounds. His skillset has proven useful when attacking the rim and crashing the glass.
However, his three-point shooting is still holding him back from reaching the next level. Through two preseason games, he’s shot 1-for-7 en route to a 1-1 record.
Although his jumper is still under maintenance, Daniels should be commended for his aggression after finishing their recent victory with a game-high 16 shot attempts.
Furthermore, his lone three-point make was a 27-footer, rather than a corner shot. All of his other successful field goals were inside the paint.
It’s a good sign that his confidence hasn’t wavered, and he still has plenty of opportunities to test his jumper. He’s wise to let it fly in the preseason since there are no real consequences beyond an embarrassing highlight.
Pacers, Thunder, and Mavericks will provide a test for Daniels
A litany of star talent is on the horizon, and it will force Dyson to compete on offense. Their next battle comes Saturday night against the newly rehabilitated Tyrese Haliburton. He shot a measly 3-for-8 in his return, but the entire world knows what he’s capable of after his crusade to the 2025 NBA Finals.
His cohort, Aaron Nesmith, is coming off a 19-point performance, shooting 4-for-6 from deep and 7-for-9 overall. If that’s not alarming, their backup center Jay Huff had 16 points, and Jarace Walker had 10 assists off the bench.
Both played a major role in the Pacers' 123-112 victory over Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves. It’s evident that things will only get harder for Dyson and the Hawks as they face the Oklahoma City Thunder next Monday.
Without question, the Western Conference powerhouse will force Daniels to dig into his bag of tricks on offense, and that’ll be challenging with OKC’s defenders. The defensive star thrives when driving to the basket, but he’ll have to settle for jump shots against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his crew.
After facing the two teams of the 2025 NBA Finals, the Hawks will get a four-day break while they prepare for Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks.
This not only means an early reunion with Zaccharie Risacher, but multiple reports say Kyrie Irving could return for the preseason. The future Hall of Famer hasn’t played an NBA game since March 3rd, 2025.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Hawks deal with the 33-year-old once he’s acclimated by the end of the preseason, but fans should keep an eye on Dyson Daniels throughout the games. Atlanta’s schedule will make for some fun basketball, but more importantly, an offensive test for the Great Barrier Thief.
His offensive responsibility will only increase after signing his lucrative $100 million deal, and if he can’t make his threes in the preseason, the postseason will be a nightmare for the 23-year-old.
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