Dyson Daniels enters the final season of his rookie contract this season. Unlike his teammate Trae Young, however, the Atlanta Hawks have already made their decision to extend him.
Daniels caught the league by storm last season, earning the Most Improved Player award, second in Defensive Player of the Year voting, and perhaps the greatest nickname in recent memory, "The Great Barrier Thief." After two mediocre seasons playing for the New Orleans Pelicans, who Daniels described as "cursed," Daniels found his groove next to Atlanta's young core, transcending to defensive superstar status.
He was the first to average 3.0 steals a night in over 30 years, and this was no fluke. He led the league in deflections by a country mile with 443, over 60% greater than Keon Ellis's second-place total. While Daniels' asecent to defensive stardom was beyond impressive, perhaps more important was his offensive improvement.
Since entering the pre-draft process at the G League Ignite program, it has been known Daniels would be a good defender. What was not as clear was whether he was a talented enough offensive player to survive on the floor. Countless defensive specialists have been played off the floor in crucial playoff minutes due to their woeful offensive performances. No matter how good a defender he was, Daniels' biggest challenge was to prove that other teams had to respect his offense.
Daniels made this critical adjustment, increasing his per-36 minute points per game from 9.4 to 15.0. While Daniels was frequently left open from deep, he managed to knock down these looks at an efficient enough rate (34.0%) to survive on offense. With the elite defensive growth he showed, Daniels has made a name for himself as one of the league's most exciting young players.
Daniels will receive an extension in October
Players entering the final year of their rookie deal have from July 1st to October 20th, the day before the regular season begins, to sign an extension. It is not a major concern if Daniels does not sign an extension this offseason, as he will only be a restricted free agent. Still, the team would be foolish to let Daniels have the opportunity to show continued improvement and justify a more lucrative contract.
The most likely contract will follow the framework laid out by Jalen Johnson's five-year, $150 million extension the swingman signed just under a year ago. While Johnson may be the better overall player, Daniels has the greater game-breaking strength. They both bring more or less eqiuivalent value to a playoff-caliber team, and likewise should receive similar contracts.
The biggest curveball that could emerge from these negotiations is if Daniels and the team elect not to sign a five-year deal. Teams usually prefer to keep players as critical as Daniels on the roster for the longest window of time. However, experts have suggested the two sides should sign a three-year deal, creating greater flexibility for the team moving forward and allowing Daniels to quickly sign a more lucrative deal if he continues to improve.
Regardless of the execution of the contract, the Hawks have already made their mind: Dyson Daniels will be a Hawk for many years to come.