The New Orleans Pelicans are likely regretting their decision to trade Dyson Daniels to the Atlanta Hawks as part of the Dejounte Murray deal earlier this summer.
Since joining Atlanta, Daniels has been on fire, quickly becoming a top contender for Most Improved Player and almost a guaranteed pick for one of the All-Defensive teams.
The Australian guard has racked up 36 steals through the Hawks’ first 10 games, the most by any player to start a season since Allen Iverson in 2003.
At just 21 years old, Daniels has also become the youngest player to record six or more steals in three straight games. He is only the fourth player in NBA history to do so. He has already had four games with four or more steals, a feat no other player has matched so far this season.
Daniels’ 36 steals are the second-most by any player on a new team, four more than Hall of Famer Gary Payton’s 32 steals with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1990. The only player ahead of him is Alvin Robertson.
Daniels has not just been impressive on defense. In the Hawks’ 117-116 win over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, he set a career-high with 28 points, adding six steals, seven assists, and three rebounds.
With just under five minutes left in a close game, Daniels hit a game-tying three-pointer and followed up with another important basket to bring the Hawks within one point. He then sealed the win with two free throws, all while playing tough defense on Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. It was a breakout performance.
Daniels is the first player since Michael Jordan in 1987 to have at least 62 points and 19 steals over a three-game stretch.
Defensively, Daniels has been a force. His 36 steals in 10 games are 15 more than the next closest player, Jalen Williams, and his 76 deflections are 32 more than the second-placed Alex Caruso, a two-time All-Defensive player. Daniels is leading the pack in almost every defensive category this season.
The record for most steals per game is held by Alvin Robertson (3.67). If Daniels can maintain his current pace of 3.60 steals per game, he could break Robertson’s record.
