The shackles are off: Could Trae Young's absence give Dyson Daniels room to grow?

Dyson Daniels started the 2025-26 NBA season slowly, but when Trae Young went down injured in Atlanta's fifth game, the Aussie became his team's default floor general

After enjoying a breakout 2024-25 season that culminated in NBA Most Improved player honours, Dyson Daniels found himself signing a four year deal worth US$100 million, to remain an Atlanta Hawk. To replicate such a productive year was always going to be a herculean task, especially given the Hawks’ offseason moves. Daniels was staring down the barrel of a reduced offensive role, after Atlanta acquired Kristaps Porziņģis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, while Jalen Johnson made a return from a long injury layoff.

The first four games of the season certainly indicated that Daniels had fallen down the Hawks’ offensive pecking order.