To say Dyson Daniels is struggling to shoot the ball would be an understatement.
Daniels has shot 7/62 (11.3%) from deep through 41 Atlanta Hawks games, the midway point of the season. There are many ways to describe just how bad this is, from his almost laughable 1/36 (2.8%) stretch on the road to his active 29-game streak without a make from three.
This comes despite some flashes of hot shooting last season. Daniels improved his shot from 31.2% to 34.0% after being traded to Atlanta, and the team has fostered tremendous three point growth from Onyeka Okongwu and Vit Krejci in recent years. The thought that Daniels could become enough of a threat to reliably space the floor was not far-fetched. He even shot 35.1% over his last 20 games, perhaps signaling some midseason shooting development.
Any progress last season has been offset by his woes this year. As the Hawks begin to build for the Jalen Johnson era, Daniels’ offensive fit dampens his overall impact on the team.
How many sharpshooters does it take to outweigh a non-shooter?
The Hawks have a unique roster construction from a spacing perspective. The team is employing five players who shoot over 40% from downtown, tied for fourth-highest in the league. When you filter out players with under 50 attempts, they rise to second, only below the Nuggets. Even the centers can shoot in Atlanta, as Kristaps Porzingis is one of the best three point shooting bigs of all time, and Onyeka Okongwu can catch fire on any given day.
But despite all the shooting talent, the Hawks’ favorite lineup can lack spacing. The starting five (Daniels, Porzingis, Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher, Nickeil Alexander-Walker) are five of the seven worst shooters on the team. Even worse, all of these players prefer to score inside the arc, with the exception of Risacher. Opponents can afford to sag off their man and apply aggressive help defense.
Daniels has still had a successful offensive season. As perhaps the league's strongest wing, Daniels has showcased remarkable growth as a slasher. He can punish defenders who taunt his three point shooting by gathering steam, planting a firm shoulder into his man’s chest, and making the correct decision with the newly created space. His playmaking has also thrived in Trae Young’s absence, notching the first triple-double of his career in the first game following the trade.
But on a team built around Jalen Johnson, who lives in the paint, could Daniels’ shooting handicap the offense to a degree that offsets his defensive impact?