Who is the Atlanta Hawks Best Kept Secret on Their Roster?

Atlanta has a lot of young talent that might be ready to emerge this season

Jul 30, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; Australia point guard Dyson Daniels (1) in action against Canada in a men's group stage basketball match 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

The Atlanta Hawks have turned over their roster a little bit this offseason and now have some intriguing pieces around all-star point guard Trae Young and Atlanta's offseason has flown a bit under the radar.

Most NBA fans know about some of the guys on the Hawks roster. Young of course is well known for how good he is, Jalen Johnson emerged last season, Bogdan Bogdanovic just put on a show at the Summer Olympics, and the center tandem of Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu is one of the best in the league. But who are some of the lesser-known players on this roster who could make noise this season? Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes gave his answer in a recent article:

"Jalen Johnson would have been a dynamite pick at this time a year ago, but the word is out on him after a very loud breakout in 2023-24.

The Atlanta Hawks hope they'll get something similar from Dyson Daniels, the crown jewel of the return package for Dejounte Murray.

A New Orleans Pelicans roster featuring Zion Williamson and Jonas Valanciunas only had so much time available for Daniels, an absolute terror on defense but a non-threat as a shooter. On a Hawks team with Trae Young and lineups that should only ever feature one player who can't space the floor (Clint Capela or Onyeka Okongwu), Daniels will be better positioned to succeed.

Just 21 years old, the 6'8" point guard is a willing passer with the size to find angles others can't. On the other end, Daniels is a sneaky bet to lead the league in steals if he can carve out 30 minutes per night. Elite rebounding for his position, particularly on the offensive glass, will also give Daniels a shot to stuff the stat sheet.

And if his jumper comes around, look out."

I have been writing about Daniels all summer and I think he could be one of the breakout stars of the NBA this season if given the right opportunity. Daniels is already one of the best defenders in the NBA and seems like a great fit next to Trae Young if his jump shot can start falling at a consistent clip.

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."

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.