Reigning NBA steals leader Dyson Daniels and the Atlanta Hawks agreed to a contract extension reportedly worth $100 million over four years.
The extension keeps Daniels under contract through the 2029-30 season. The Hawks announced the deal Monday without confirming terms.
Daniels, 22, was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player and was runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year last season after averaging 14.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 3.0 steals in 76 games. He also was an All-Defensive first-team selection.
“We are beyond thrilled to reach a long-term deal with Dyson, and we are excited to watch him continue to grow with our group,” Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh said in a press release. “This extension reflects our belief in him today and into the future.”
Daniels’ breakout year came in his first campaign with the Hawks after he spent his first two seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans. He arrived in Atlanta as part of the deal in which Dejounte Murray was traded to New Orleans.
By racking up 229 steals, Daniels finished with the most by any player in a season since 1995-96, when Hall of Famer Gary Payton swiped 231 for the Seattle SuperSonics.
The gap in steals between Daniels and last season’s second-place finisher, MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (131 steals), was the largest in NBA history (98).
For his career, Daniels has averages of 8.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.8 steals in 196 games (103 starts) over three seasons.
–Field Level Media
