Atlanta Hawks X-Factor for the 2025-26 Season - Dyson Daniels

After a breakout 2024-25 season in which he earned the NBA’s Most Improved Player award, Dyson Daniels enters the 2025-26 season as an X-factor for the Atlanta Hawks. After two seasons in New Orleans, where he was used sparingly, the 22-year-old Australian combo guard was traded to the Hawks, where he flourished as one of the league’s best two-way players. 

Averaging a career-high 14.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 3 steals in 76 games, Daniels established himself as the team’s best defender. For a team that lacked a lockdown perimeter player, Daniels’ relentless defensive intensity brought a much-needed sense of grit to the Hawks' lineup.

What makes Daniels an X-factor isn’t just his defensive skill set, but also his potential to grow offensively. While his scoring numbers improved significantly from year two to year three, there is still room for further development in his shooting percentages, especially from the free-throw line, and his shot creation. If the fourth-year guard can expand his offensive repertoire while maintaining the same level of defense, he could arguably become an All-Star-caliber player. 

Daniels' versatility allows head coach Quin Snyder the opportunity to explore different defensive strategies, switching various positions and roles while disrupting passing lanes and cutting off driving lanes. As the "yin" to Trae Young's offensive "yang," the two guards have successfully found a way to mesh together and cover for each other's weaknesses. Daniels's ability to guard opposing point guards allows Young to conserve energy on defense and focus on orchestrating the offense. His chemistry extends beyond Young. Playing alongside Jalen Johnson's explosive athleticism and Kristaps Porzingis's rim protection, Daniels anchors a defensive unit that can switch seamlessly and pressure opponents at all three levels. This trio of versatile defenders transforms Atlanta from a defensive liability into a legitimate problem for opposing offenses.

The main question heading into the 2025-26 season is, can Daniels take another leap offensively? If he can improve his three-point shooting and free-throw shooting percentages, the Hawks could have one of the top three starting lineups in the Eastern Conference. Currently seen as a mid-tier/play-in playoff team, if Daniels can take that next step, the Hawks could be a dark horse contender to reach the Eastern Conference Finals.