After Damian Lillard tore his Achilles in the playoffs, the writing was on the wall that two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo would be traded this offseason. The Atlanta Hawks have emerged as the favorites to land Antetokounmpo, but they cannot afford to send DPOY candidate and breakout wing Dyson Daniels to Milwaukee.
Antetokounmpo has been one of the best players of this generation, racking up seven consecutive All-NBA First Team honors, two MVPs, and a Defensive Player of the Year award. Antetokounmpo is simply unstoppable on both ends of the floor.
Given his accolades and consistency, Antetokounmpo is arguably the best player to be on the trade block in NBA history. Consequently, many teams around the league have shown interest in the Greek superstar, from San Antonio to New York. The Hawks are the favorites to land Antetokounmpo, yet they cannot afford to trade the perfect Trae Young compliment for the twilight of Giannis's prime.
Trading Dyson Daniels would compromise the Trae Young era
Daniels is a prototypical 6'8 wing who is one of the league's greatest defensive talents. Atlanta acquired Daniels in the Dejounte Murray trade last offseason, and the trade has been a massive success for the Hawks. The Hawks dodged a massive bullet by trading Murray, as the former San Antonio All-Star was having a down year in New Orleans before tearing his Achilles.
Daniels had a breakout season this year in Atlanta as a lockdown defender and defensive playmaker. He earned the nickname "The Great Barrier Thief" after leading the NBA with a ridiculous 3.0 steals per game. Since 1991, no NBA player has averaged as many steals per game as Daniels this season.
While every team would love a player like Daniels, the Hawks truly need him to support Trae Young. Young is perhaps the smallest star in the league, standing 6'1 with a thin frame relative to league standards. With these physical limitations, Young has struggled on the defensive end during his career.
Atlanta hit a home run last offseason when they offloaded Murray for Daniels. Only 22 years old, Daniels is positioned to be the best defensive guard in the league for many years to come. His unique ability to guard 1-4 at his height is the perfect compliment for Young. Daniels can impact the game without requiring touches through his otherworldly defense, a trait that cannot be overlooked.
Daniels' synergy with Young is too perfect to move on from
Antetokounmpo is obviously a better player than Daniels, and he would lift the Hawks to clear favorites to win the East if traded to Atlanta. However, even with Antetokounmpo, Young's defensive limitations will prevent the Hawks from winning an NBA title without Daniels' support.
Antetokounmpo is a true one-man defense that is capable of leading a top 10 defense with no supporting talent. However, he isn't the same level of on-ball defender as Daniels, particularly when guarding quick guards. Trading Daniels for Antetokounmpo would create massive problems when the Hawks face a team with elite guards in the playoffs, such as Jalen Brunson with the Knicks.
In addition to draft capital, the Bucks will likely seek two of Daniels, Jalen Johnson, and Zaccharie Risacher in return for Antetokounmpo. Fans may flinch at the prospect of trading a former first overall pick and their second leading scorer instead of Daniels, whose offensive stats pale in comparison to Johnson's.
However, trading Johnson and Risacher over Daniels is the correct move. Antetokounmpo will be an upgrade over Johnson's interior scoring, and he will replace Risacher's role in the starting lineup. Recent free agent acquisition Nickeil Alexander-Walker is capable of filling Johnson's role in the starting lineup.
Perhaps Johnson and Risacher are more talented than Daniels, and perhaps they will become more valuable players over the course of their careers. However, both Johnson and Risacher are much easier to replace than Daniels, who serves a critical role on the Hawks to elevate Young's ceiling as a franchise player. If the Bucks refuse to trade Antetokounmpo without Daniels, the Hawks should take their chances with their impressive new-look roster rather than pushing in the chips for Antetokounmpo.