Key potential improvement from Dyson Daniels bodes well for Hawks

The Olympics put a massive magnifying glass on every athlete that competes. And for Australia’s Dyson Daniels, it was an opportunity to show why he is such a major acquisition for the Atlanta Hawks going into next season. His reputation has guaranteed him a spot in the rotation and possibly the starting lineup. He is known around the league for his outstanding defense, but his jump shot has significantly improved in recent outings.

During his first two seasons in the league, he shot 31% from beyond the arc, and during the Olympics, he was shooting threes with no hesitation. He shot 3-for-4 from three versus Spain and 2-for-5 versus Greece.

He finished the Olympics shooting 5-for-13 (38%) over four games, and his improvements are slowly molding him into a 3-and-D specialist.

As a 6 '7 point guard, he can defend multiple positions, and if he were to start, he could play the shooting guard or small forward position to fortify the Hawks' perimeter defense. The team had one of the worst defenses in the league during the 2023-24 season and his 6’10.5 wingspan is going to be very advantageous.

How Dyson Daniels Will Affect the Hawks in 2024-25 & Beyond

Atlanta hasn’t had a point of attack defender like Daniels in a very long time and the Hawks have relied on forward De'Andre Hunter heavily for the last few seasons. He will be a massive help for Hunter, who constantly has to defend the best player on the opposing team. The strenuous effort would exhaust him, therefore hindering his defensive capabilities.

Daniels’ youth is also an advantage for the Hawks considering what he can develop into. The most important factor of the Daniels trade is how he will fit next to franchise centerpiece Trae Young. Three-point shooting is a major part of Hawks head coach Quin Snyder’s offense and Daniels' improvements will help him fit into the system. The corner three will be his main area of operation on offense, but he can also penetrate the defense to drive to the basket. 

Young and Daniels will have to learn how to play together as the season progresses, and Young makes it very easy for his teammates to score because of his defensive gravity. Landry Fields and his staff realize what needs to be done to raise a banner in Atlanta with Young as their franchise player. A generational playmaker such as Young, needs to be surrounded by complementary pieces to maximize team success and they're attempting to construct an efficient roster before he runs out of patience.

Young appeared on Paul George’s show "Podcast P" and discussed his excitement for the impact of Daniels this upcoming season. George also asked Young about Rookie Zaccharie Risacher, who the Hawks selected with the No.1 overall pick back in June. 

“We’re gonna have a taller team with him (Risacher) on the wing. And Dyson Daniels, he's a bigger, taller guard that plays defense. I just saw him playing for Australia (in the Olympics) picking up 94 feet,” Young said. “When you have guys picking up and having defensive highlights like a Lou Dort, (it’s beneficial) when you have guys like that on your team.” 

The future Hall of Famer gave Young an outside perspective on what he has witnessed on the Hawks the past few seasons and agreed that Daniels would fit well in Snyder’s system.

“I feel like he’s going to have a really good year with you for sure,” George said. “ You need those guys who are going to give you specifically extra possessions because you’re gonna put pressure on the teams and put points up.” 

Daniels has two seasons left on his rookie-scale contract that ends in the summer of 2026. Given his potential, he could easily sign a four-year $80-100 million extension. Fields would be wise to sign Daniels to the roster long-term to back up Young on defense. As August ends and we get closer to training camp, fans won’t have to wait much longer for Daniels' highly-anticipated Hawks debut.