Entering play on Wednesday, Hawks guard Dyson Daniels‘ has 31 more deflections (76 total) and 15 more steals (36 total) than any other NBA player, establishing himself as one of the league’s very best defenders. He’s also holding his own offensively, averaging a career-high 14.3 points per game on 46.9% shooting.
As Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution details, Daniels’ breakout third season is making the Hawks’ return in this summer’s Dejounte Murray trade look better and better.
“Coming here was just was so good for his confidence, both offensively and confidence defensively,” said teammate Larry Nance Jr., who was traded with Daniels from New Orleans to Atlanta. “He’s taking some more gambles now, and obviously they’re paying off. So, I truly could not be happier for a guy that is so deserving of the praise and the opportunity he’s gotten.”
While Nance suggested Daniels has an increased willingness to take gambles on defense, head coach Quin Snyder made it clear that the third-year guard’s impressive defensive numbers aren’t just a result of taking more risks that might hurt the Hawks if they backfire.
“What’s impressive to me about that is, usually when you get that many steals, it’s because you’re gambling,” Snyder said. “You take yourself out of a play. And rarely is he taking himself out of the play. He may not steal the ball, but he’s still in position. He’s calculated with that. He’s just, he’s so focused. And, it’s unusual. You don’t take it for granted that he brings it every night.”
We have more from around the Southeast:
- Ahead of the season, Heat president Pat Riley challenged his team’s top four players to be the best versions of themselves. Tyler Herro is the only one meeting that challenge so far, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, who refers to the former Sixth Man of the Year as Miami’s first-month MVP after he put up 40 points in a loss to Detroit on Tuesday. “He’s having a hell of a year,” teammate Bam Adebayo said. “He deserves that All-Star nod. We’ve been pushing him for three or four years to get that nod. He’s healthy, playing at his own pace, making decisions, making plays.”
- Head coach Erik Spoelstra took the blame for that overtime loss to Detroit on Tuesday after he tried to call for a timeout the Heat didn’t have in the game’s final seconds, allowing the Pistons to hit a tie-breaking technical free throw. “There’s really no excuse for that,” Spoelstra said (story via The Associated Press). “I’m 17 years in. We had talked about it in the huddle, I knew that we didn’t have anything. I just got emotional and reactive on that and I made just a horrendous mistake there at the end. It’s a shame.”
- After starting Tidjane Salaün in place of Miles Bridges for the Hornets‘ first two games after Bridges was diagnosed with a knee bone bruise, head coach Charles Lee turned instead to Grant Williams to take Bridges’ spot on Tuesday, writes Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Still, Salaün played roughly as many minutes off the bench as he did as a starter, and Lee said he’s encouraged by the progress he has seen from the 19-year-old. The Hornets’ coach noted that the speed of the game, the language barrier, and learning a new system and terminology have all been challenges for Salaun, but Lee believes the rookie forward is getting more comfortable. “He’s just getting better with more reps, which makes sense for young guys,” Lee said. “… I love his energy and effort and the competitiveness he plays with every time he’s on the floor.”
Dyson Daniels is a pleasant surprise for the Hawks. Great scouting by the front office prior to the deal on him and even better coaching by Snyder.
A+ so far in that deal.
It’s not just the Dejounte for Dyson deal that’s looking good for us. We have yet to give up anything at all to the Spurs for Dejounte. So far we’ve given up Gallinari’s expiring contract & nothing else for 2 seasons of all-star level play from Dejounte, a season of what looks to be prime Larry Nance Jr & an all-star level season from Dice if he continues playing this well. We’ll also be getting the rest of Dyson’s career & possibly a few more seasons of Nance. We also get the Lakers unprotected 1st next summer & NO’s top4 protected 1st in 2027. In return for all that we’ll be giving up 2 unprotected 1sts to San Antonio next summer & in 2027.
Obv the Dejounte experiment didn’t work out but we still come out way on top when it comes to talent.
All Star level season? I like the kid but it takes more than 14.3 per game on a .469/.268/.526 to have an All Star level season no matter how many steals and deflections someone gets. If he keeps it up he might get an All Defensive team nod, which is pretty good and more realistic.
All-Defense and maybe MIP (though given the way media votes for that award, probably not). But All-Star? Nah.
I will agree on him not likely being an All-Star, but remember he is still ramping up. With Trae out against Boston, Dyson looked amazing. Not saying that would be his norm, but he is looking solid.
I will have to go through all the movement on the picks and such, but it certainly seems like the Sankara’s take on what the Spurs have gotten out of it is pretty solid just from memory. NBA picks outside the top 5 are not worth much to the team making the pick. Most of those folks don’t pan out until they get to their second team, and even then, the vast majority are never anything more than role players. It’s just the way the NBA is. A few diamonds outside of the top 5 each decade, but not many. You can just Wiki the NBA dradfts and go year by year and look for entires that are highlighted in colors for All-NBA or All-Star. There are so few. Some years .. zilch. Most years will have one or two, though it’s generally the same one or two for multiple years (like a Kobe for instance being highlighted for 16 years). Crazy how thin the NBA drafts are for top level NBA players.
Moussa Diabate’s statline in a game past week: 0 points, 15 rebounds, 0 assists.
Both starting and backup centers out with injury.
That’s what they brought you for, dude. Excellent performance