The Atlanta Hawks and Dyson Daniels were able to come to terms on a rookie contract extension worth four years, $100 million hours before the deadline. After a strong year in his first season with the Hawks, Daniels was the Most Improved Player of the league and a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Daniel led the league in steals and deflections, and was arguably the best perimeter defender last season.
Leading up to the deadline, there were rumors that Daniels was seeking five years, $150 million, but the Hawks were looking for a lower number. In the end, it looks like they were able to come to a common ground, as Daniels earns $25 million per year, and will have the chance to hit the open market once again at the age of 27.
Here are some grades for the extension between the Hawks and Daniels.
Dyson Daniels gets a big payday from Hawks
Daniels showed the Hawks that he can be game changer on defense, but he also has some skills on offense that will only get better. As a defender, he showed his worth every night, guarding the best player on the opposing team, while causing havoc in other areas on that side of the floor. The numbers speak for themselves, and he'll continue to make a big impact on defense throughout his career.
Though some would think that's how he earned most of his big payday, it was his growth on offense that maybe helped with negotiations as well. With the Hawks not having a true backup point guard behind Trae Young last season, Daniels took on some of that role and did a good job doing so. He put pressure on the rim, while also making plays for others which opened up the offense. His 3-point percentage increased as the season went on as well, and he showed that there is true upside in his game on that side of the ball.
For Daniels, he got his payday, and he could have a chance to make more money when his contract expires. His game will only continue to grow, so it wouldn't be a surprise if he gets more in the future.
Grade for Daniels signing extension with Hawks: A
Hawks continue trend of financial flexibility
For the past few years, the Hawks have been able to get their players on safe and team-friendly deals, that makes their cap sheet look good. Last season, the Hawks signed Jalen Johnson to a five year, $150 million rookie extension, and were praised for getting him on such a deal. This season, Daniels gets his deal, and the talks are pretty much the same.
There are a few more deals that many people will look at for the Hawks to make, but they will probably happen at the end of them season at this point. One of those players is Kristaps Porzingis, who the Hawks traded for in the offseason and is on the last year of his deal.
The second player is Trae Young, who is eligible for an extension, but him and the Hawks did not come to an agreement. There's no doubt general manager Onsi Saleh is trying to continue that trend of financial flexibility with those two players, and the Daniels deal should show that.
Grade for Hawks extending Daniels: A
