Dyson Daniels looking to take next step
After winning the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award last season, Hawks guard Dyson Daniels is ready for the next step.
“I was able to go and make improvements in a lot of ways,” Daniels said at the Hawks’ Media Day last Monday. “I worked a lot on my midrange game, being able to get to spots, different pickups, different footwork, getting good shots, trying to develop that offensive bag. And I think that’s been the main focus for me this summer.
“My defense is always going to be my background. That’s what got me to where I am today. So just building my offensive game. It’s been a lot of shots, a lot of different pickups, a lot of different footwork, a lot of different finishing.”
While the Hawks added plenty of shooters to the roster during free agency, they anticipate that Daniels will build off his offensive improvement last year.
Daniels, who averaged 14.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, three steals per game, posted improvements in nearly every statistical category. He became just the third player since 1973-74 to own improvements of plus-eight points per game, plus-two rebounds per game, plus-1.5 assists per game and plus-1.5 steals per game from one season to the next, according to Elias Sports.
But the Hawks don’t want Daniels to get too caught up in external expectations.
“If you get into trying to meet other people’s expectations, that’s a slippery slope, you know?” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said following the team’s practice Thursday. “So, we want to set that internally, similar to what we always do. It’s what we did last year. Dyson, us, it’s a partnership really.
“He had a really good year, and I fully anticipate him having another good year. So, there’s a lot of little things that he’s worked on this summer. And like any young player, you see opportunities for improvement. That’s what summer helps you with, and then you integrate those into the team.”
The Hawks added Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard and Kristaps Porzingis — among several other young pieces — to the team. It’s led to a high-spirited camp with players looking to build this team into one that can compete with the best.
It’s why the Hawks have prioritized building out a roster that has versatile players from the top down. It’s why Daniels will among the team’s ballhandlers this season, especially in the non-Trae Young minutes.
Daniels has a natural instinct to cut to the basket, and the Hawks want to take advantage of that.
“If I’m running lane, we got two guys running the same spot,” Daniels said following Thursday’s practice. “We want to cut through and create that advantage for the other person. So it’s kind of like selfless cuts, where you cut, not knowing that you’re not going to get the ball, but it’s going to get your teammate open. So those sorts of things, setting little brush screens, back door, whatever it may be.”
Having been in the team’s system last season, Daniels has already gotten a feel for what it will be like to be one of the Hawks’ playmakers. Now, though, Daniel’s focus remains on building chemistry his teammates, both new and old.
“So, just learning to play with each other,” Daniels said. “Being here a year with most the guys now, I kind of know what everyone likes to do and where I can be found. And, with the new guys coming in as well, it’s about them trying to pick that up, and us learning from them what they like to do.
“So, I know KP (Porzingis) loves to trail into that 3-ball. So, there might be putting pressure on the rim and having his man commit and then hitting him for a wide-open 3. So, I think there’s just so much more options that we have this year that we can get into.”
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