The downside to finding diamonds in the rough, like the Atlanta Hawks did with Dyson Daniels, is that they are difficult to place a valuation on in terms of contracts. As Daniels heads into the final year of his rookie deal and becomes extension-eligible, that is the Hawks’ dilemma.
Daniels can sign an extension up until the start of the 2025-26 season.
He will be a restricted free agent in 2026, meaning the Hawks will have the right of first refusal on any offer he may receive from a prospective suitor.
However, the Hawks have shown a tendency to be proactive when it comes to locking up their young talent. That could bode well for Daniels, whom Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus projected will receive “at least $94 million over four years.”
“Atlanta’s toughest decision will be finding the correct number for a long-term commitment to Dyson Daniels, who won the Most Improved Player award and came in second for Defensive Player of the Year this past season,” Pincus wrote on May 27. “Daniels, who is extension-eligible until the start of the 2025-26 regular season, will undoubtedly expect to be rewarded for his impact. He's only 22 and figures to be fairly expensive.”
Daniels led the league in steals, was the Most Improved Player, and earned All-Defensive First Team honors in his first year with the Hawks.
Hawks’ proactive approach has often gone awry
The Hawks’ stance has not always ended well – see: John Collins, Kevin Huerter, Dejounte Murray, etc. De’Andre Hunter was traded at this year’s deadline, in Year 2 of a four-year, $90 million extension.
Others have worked, with Onyeka Okongwu arguably the most prominent recent success.
The jury remains undecided on Jalen Johnson, who must stay on the floor to capitalize on his immense talent while on a five-year, $150 million pact.
Then there is Trae Young, who is effectively entering the final year of his five-year, $215.1 million deal thanks to his player option in 2026. Young can sign an extension worth up to $229 million this offseason.
These decisions are on hold until the Hawks decide who will run the operation.
After initial reports that they hired outside assistance and links to maverick options, the Hawks may leave well enough alone and let general manager Onsi Saleh have the final say.
Daniels would be the third-highest-paid player on the team. And while that is not an issue in a vacuum, the Hawks have proven time and again that they are just as likely to shed big salaries and give them out, and more than acquire them.