Dyson Daniels has taken Atlanta Hawks Nation by storm in a short amount of time, and he has shown no sign of slowing down. Head Coach Quin Snyder inserted him into the starting line-up, and he made an instant impact. In just ten games, he has accumulated 36 steals and climbed to the top of the NBA steals leaderboard (3.6). The 21-year-old also leads the league in deflections (76).
Superstar point guards Jalen Brunson and Cade Cunningham shot negative because of his pressure. Atlanta hasn’t had a player with his level of defensive versatility in years. Even a defender like De’Andre Hunter has never accumulated the defensive stats of Daniels, and he’s been in the league for three more years. Snyder has assigned him to defend the best opposing player since opening night versus the Brooklyn Nets, and he confidently bears the responsibility.
During Media Day, on September 30th, He expressed his desire to become an All-NBA caliber defender this season, and defending NBA stars on a nightly basis has put the league on notice of his capabilities.
“I’m gonna take the challenge of guarding the best player every night, being that backbone for guys like Trae and being able to switch things one through four, defending bigger people, and defending smaller guards,” said Daniels “Just being everywhere on the floor ya know? I’ve got a big goal this year of making the First-Team All-Defense, and im gonna go out there, and try to make it happen.”
What Does Having Daniels Mean for The Hawks Going Forward?
Regardless of the Hawks' 5-7 record, Daniels has been a massive bright spot in the season, and fans should be thrilled at the thought of what he will become in the future. Many fans were disappointed after the Dejounte Murray trade last summer, but Daniels alone has proven that the trade package was extremely beneficial for the Hawks.
Along with his outstanding defense, his presence has increased the fluidity of the offense because he is not a ball-dominant guard next to Trae Young, and recently showed the ability to run the offense in Young’s absence. In the opener of the Emirates NBA Cup Versus the Boston Celtics, he finished with a career-high 28 points, seven assists, and six steals in a 117-116 upset win over the defending champions.
Daniels has become an untouchable piece of the roster without question and General Manager Landry Fields must make him a part of their core heading into the 2030s. On October 30th, The front office exercised his fourth-year option and he is eligible for a long-term contract extension in the summer of 2026. If he chooses to sign it, Daniels will develop into one of the greatest defenders in the history of the franchise undoubtedly. The Hawks haven’t had a Defensive Player Of The Year winner since the late Dikembe Mutombo (2), and at his age, the sky is the limit.