Hawks 2024-25 player profile: Atlanta needs Olympics Dyson Daniels

As the regular season draws near, and the Atlanta Hawks continue their preseason with a matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers on tap for Monday, Soaring Down South’s player profile series continues with someone who figures to be a key piece.

Dyson Daniels was a key part of the Hawks’ return for trading Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans.

He is also a former top-10 pick, so the potential is clearly there.

Dyson Daniels 2024-25 player profile: Hawks need Olympic version of former top-10 pick

2023-24 stats: 5.8 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.4 SPG
2024-25 projection: 7.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.3 APG, 2.0 SPG

The Hawks know what they are getting from Daniels defensively. He should contend for All-Defensive Team honors this season after posting some of the best stats in many advanced metrics with the Pelicans last season.

Daniels has made no secret about his plans to, not just make the team, but to snap a 24-year drought for the Hawks with a First Team selection.

“I want to take the challenge of guarding the best player every night,” Daniels told reporters on September 30. “Just being out there being that – kind of that backbone for guys like Trae [Young]. Being able to switch things 1 through 4, defend bigger people, defend smaller guys. So just being everywhere on the floor. I got a big goal this year of making a First Team All-Defense. So try to go there and make that happen.”

Daniels fits a theme for the Hawks as a long, athletic defender who profiles as a strong complement to Trae Young.

However, one issue threatens to keep Daniels from playing as much as his defense warrants.

Hawks need Dyson Daniels to shoot like a Boomer

Daniels’ shooting is really his one true question mark. A career 31.2% shooter from beyond the arc, he shot 31.1% on his deep looks in 2023-24. But he noted in his exit interview that he wanted to improve there.

It showed in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, shooting 38.5% on 3.3 looks per across the Boomers’ four games. 

However, the Olympic, or rather FIBA three-point line is shorter than the NBA.

Daniels scored 14 points in his 21-plus minutes in the Hawks’ preseason-opening victory over the Indiana Pacers. But he went 1-for-3 from downtown. It was but one preseason game. But the Hawks will undoubtedly need more from Daniels.

He too might need more to earn enough playing time, showcase his defensive prowess, and earn that recognition at the end of the season.

Three guards made an All-Defensive team in 2023-24.

All of them averaged at least 4.7 attempts and shot no worse than 39.6% on those looks. Boston Celtics guard Derrick White shot that low mark on a group-high 9.6 attempts from long distance.

Daniels started the Hawks’ win over Indy. But the team was without Bogdan Bogdanovic and Onyeka Okongwu, with the former posing more of a threat to Daniels’ starting job. 

Rookie No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher shoots well enough to entertain playing him there too. 

Daniels taking – and presumably making – more threes would be beneficial for both parties, so it is certainly something the Hawks hope translates from his showing on the international stage this coming season.