Grading The Dyson Daniels Contract Extension: Is It An Easy A?

Yesterday, it was announced that the Atlanta Hawks had reached an agreement on a contract extension with last season's Most Improved Player, Dyson Daniels. This deal was likely in the works, as Daniels put up a historic campaign in his first year starting and had saved Atlanta from what could be considered one of the more regrettable trades in recent years for the organization.

Last summer, the Hawks traded for Daniels after a failed experiment for a backcourt consisting of two ball-dominant All-Star point guards in Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. At the time, nobody really expected much from Daniels, as he had barely played in New Orleans and was considered a downgrade from the proven Murray.

Atlanta Hawks All-Defensive guard Dyson Daniels has agreed to a four-year, $100 million rookie contract extension with the franchise, agent Daniel Moldovan of Lighthouse Sports Management tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/YncGaDAe7f
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 20, 2025

Since coming to Atlanta, Daniels has been nothing short of sensational, proving to be one of the more durable and consistent players on the team. The key now will be to see Daniels continue his growth as one of the more reliable defenders in the NBA and see how impactful he can be on both ends of the court in both the regular season and postseason.

Grading the extension

Sep 29, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Mandatory Credit: Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) poses for a photo during Media Day. Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

For Atlanta, this deal was a no-brainer because players of Daniels' caliber don't come around often, and he was available at such a young age through a low-cost trade. Daniels also finished in the top three in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season, as he averaged three steals a game and is on a team-friendly contract for the next four years.

ESPN had the following to say when discussing Daniels new contract:

"After finishing second in voting for Defensive Player of the Year and winning Most Improved Player in his first season with the Hawks, Daniels now cashes in with a long-term extension that cements him as part of Atlanta's young core.

The runner-up finish for Defensive Player of the Year probably overstates Daniels' defensive impact last season. Although Daniels' league-leading 3.0 steals per game were the most since Alvin Robertson averaged the same in 1990-91, the data didn't back up Daniels' rep as also being an individual stopper. At the team level, Daniels' value as estimated by advanced stats -- both on-off data, and combining that with his box score stats -- suggested more of a top-10 defender than top 2.

That's still a terrific place to start, and Daniels added more offensive punch last season, increasing his scoring average by 143% to a career-high 14.1 points. Daniels made enough 3-pointers (1.1 per game at a 34% clip) to be viable playing alongside Trae Young, and Daniels served as a primary playmaker with Young on the bench.

We'll learn a lot more about Daniels this season, when expectations for the Hawks are much higher after the additions of Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kristaps Porzingis."

Based on the Hawks' roster and salary cap, I would give this a significant grade due to the factors listed above. The good news is that Daniels, the organization, and his teammates won't have to worry about his future in Atlanta, as Young was ecstatic about Daniels' extension.

Yesssssirrrrrr!! 🎲🎲💰 @DysonDaniels
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) October 20, 2025

The question remains of how this Hawks team will look this season and the postseason, but hopes remain high in Atlanta. The Hawks begin regular-season action on Wednesday, October 22, at 7:30 PM against the Toronto Raptors, in a season expected to be an important one for shaping the Hawks' future.

Overall Contract Grade: A

Grading the extension

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