Why Hawks' $100 million Dyson Daniels contract extension feels like a steal

The Dyson Daniels contract extension with the Atlanta Hawks might just be a steal.

Pun intended.

The best perimeter defender in the NBA, the "Great Barrier Thief," has a new deal. It's for four years and $100 million, per multiple reports.

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Daniels' deal compares favorably to two other rookie extensions signed this weekend.

The Sacramento Kings got Keegan Murray extended for five years and $140 million. And the Denver Nuggets landed Christian Braun for five years and $125 million.

So the Daniels annual average value comes in just below Murray and equivalent to Braun with one fewer year.

Daniels has been everything the Hawks could've wanted.

"Daniels is a huge success story for Atlanta," ESPN's Bontemps writes. "He came to the Hawks last summer as part of the trade that sent Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans and became the NBA's Most Improved Player last season while leading the league in steals (229, the most in a season by any player since Gary Payton in 1995-96)."

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The things Daniels does well, including the steals but also the league-leading deflection totals and his overall defensive disruption, may be a bit harder to quantify than someone who just scores a lot or hits a lot of 3-pointers.

But the offensive game has been blossoming for Daniels, too, which makes $25 million per year feel like a floor.

If he is never any better than he was in 2024-25, it's still a solid contract. If Daniels improves? It really is a steal.

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