ESPN Experts Give Bold Dyson Daniels Prediction For Next Season

One of the most surprising things in the NBA this season has been the emergence of Dyson Daniels. Daniels was acquired by the Atlanta Hawks from the New Orleans Pelicans in the Dejounte Murray deal this past summer and the trade has been a home run for Atlanta. Daniels leads the entire league in steals and deflections and is a leading candidate for both defensive player of the year and most improved player. Before the trade, Daniels was already regarded as a player with immense defensive potential, but the offensive game was a question mark. Daniels has set career highs in points per game, blocks, assists, rebounds, three-point percentage, and shooting percentage.

Is he only scratching the surface of his potential though? When ESPN analysts Chris Herring and Jeremy Woo were discussing breakout players for next season and wrote that Daniels might have another level to hit next season:

"As fantastic as Daniels has been in his first season with the Hawks -- and rest assured, he'll get a fair share of votes for NBA Most Improved Player -- there's reason to believe next season could be even better for him and his Atlanta teammates.

But why?

"There's times when it looks like he's beat, but he's able to recover so well. And sometimes we get into trouble because guys end up overhelping [thinking Daniels can't get back into the play], and now someone else is open," Hawks coach Quin Snyder said.

Learning to play alongside All-Star Trae Young should only get easier for the 21-year-old Daniels, who has averaged career numbers in his third year. One potential indication of him settling in: He's shot 51% overall and nearly 38% from 3 since the All-Star break, up from 47% and 33% prior to that. It's an encouraging offensive run to build on, particularly with how great he's already been on defense.

Key stat: The ever-widening statistical gap between Daniels and the rest of the league in terms of deflections is ridiculous. He has 393, while second-place Kelly Oubre Jr. (Philadelphia) has 248. That gap of 145 is the same as the one between Oubre and Orlando's Goga Bitadze, who ranks 125th in deflections. Beyond that, just last week, Daniels logged his 192nd steal, giving him the most in a single season in more than a decade."

They may be onto something here.

This is the first season where Daniels has been relied upon as a starter and he has taken huge leaps on both ends of the court. The thing that might help Daniels is that Atlanta has one of the youngest teams in the NBA, and the players around him should get better as well. Zaccharie Risacher has played really well as a rookie, Jalen Johnson is injured, and Onyeka Okongwu is in his first season as the starting center. This team is still learning how to play alongside each other and while that might not result in a deep playoff run this season, it could be a sign of things to come for this young core of players.

Additional Links

Caris LeVert Says He Is Open To Re-Signing With the Hawks: "I Love This Situation That I’m In Right Now"

Trae Young Says He Does Not Want To Discuss An Extension Until After the Season: "I’m Just Focusing On This Team"

When Onyeka Okongwu Sits, The Atlanta Hawks Have A Center Problem