Dyson Daniels Continues to Impress on The World Stage By Scoring 14 Points In Australia's Win Over Spain

Daniels has been impressive all summer long

Jul 27, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; Spain guard Sergio Llull (23) gets past Australia point guard Dyson Daniels (1) in men's Group A play during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels continues to impress on the world stage. Daniels has arguably been the most impressive player on Team Australia this summer and he continued that today by having a great opening game in the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Daniels and Team Australia were playing Spain this morning and Australia got the win 92-80. Leading the way for Australia was Daniels, who scored 14 points on 5/9 shooting from the field (3-4 on threes), seven rebounds, and two assists. Daniels was also tremendous on the defensive end of the floor and helped get the win over Spain.

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While those who follow basketball know that Daniels is already one of the best defenders in the NBA, there have been questions about his three-point shooting and that is what's catching my eye the most at the moment. I have been hopeful that Daniels would take the starting spot next to Trae Young, but for him to do that, he was going to have to be able to shoot the ball. So far this summer, he has done that and coming into today, he was shooting 40% from three. If he continues to do that, I can't tell you how much that would raise the Hawks ceiling this year.

Australia's next game is going to be on July 30th vs Canada.

Daniels was the best player that the Hawks got back from New Orleans in the Dejounte Murray trade and has been lauded for his defensive ability. Hawks GM Landry Fields talked to the media after the Murray trade and said that Daniels defensive skills were one of the things they were intrigued by when they got him in the trade:

"His defensive versatility is something that really stands out. His shooting has gotten better, it is something that we think can get an uptick in him as time goes on with his development. So, we are able to help him stay the course defensively and then give him some offensive adjustments there."

So far during the Olympic exhibition games, Daniels is showing why he might be a critical part of the Hawks future. While Daniels is already an elite defender, his ability to be a consistent shooter has come into question. This summer, Daniels has been a good three-point shooter while not losing a step on defense.

During the exhibition games for Team Australia, Daniels has averaged 10 PPG, 2.8 RPG, and 3.2 APG, as well as three steals per game. He is shooting 49% from the field and 40% from three and if those numbers hold up, the Hawks have to be ecstatic about what Daniels could bring to the team this season. Daniels just had his best game when Australia faced France, as he scored 14 points on 6-9 shooting from the floor and 2-4 from three. He also had five steals and five assists.

Now, Daniels has to prove that he can do this at the NBA level next season, but there is enough evidence out there that he can. I think that Daniels and his skill set is a perfect fit next to Trae Young and the Hawks should explore starting him next to their starting point guard. Young has never had an elite perimeter defender like Daniels by his side and as long as Daniels can shoot at this level and stay on the floor, the Hawks defense can go from abysmal to much better.

A looming question ahead of next season will be whether the Hawks start Daniels alongside Young or bring him off the bench. An argument could be made for either Zaccharie Risacher or Bogdan Bogadanovic to start next to Trae at the two-guard spot, but Daniels would bring the best defense. Bogdanovic was tremendous off the bench last season and should remain in that role in my opinion while Risacher could start next to Daniels and Young.

Daniels saw action in 61 games (16 starts) during the 2023-24 season, posting career highs of 5.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.4 steals in 22.3 minutes. He scored 10-or-more points in a career-best 13 games during the 2023-24 campaign, netting a career-high 17 points against the Dallas Mavericks on Nov. 12.

A 2024 Panini Rising Star, Daniels recorded 1.4 steals per game during the 2023-24 campaign, the 10th-most in the NBA, and owned a .341 steal percentage last season, ranking fifth in the league (min. 50 GP). He recorded a career-high six steals at Utah on Nov. 25, becoming the only second-year player to swipe at least six steals in a single game this past season and one of only two first-or-second year players to do so, joining Victor Wembanyama. He recorded all six steals in the first half, tied for the most steals in a single half in the NBA this past season and tied for the second-most steals in a single half in New Orleans history.

Selected eighth overall in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Pelicans, the 6-7 guard owns career averages of 4.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 20.0 minutes in 120 games (27 starts). Prior to the Pelicans, he spent the 2021-22 season with the NBA G League Ignite, where he was named to the 2022 Clorox Rising Stars roster.

Acquiring Daniels has gone under the radar around the league, but it could end up making a huge difference for the Atlanta Hawks.