What a distinction a yr made.
At the moment, the final off -season, there was not a lot optimism surrounding the Atlanta Hawks. They didn’t make the playoffs, obtained the selection n ° 1 in a yr that no crew apparently needed the selection n ° 1, and had main questions on the twinning of Trae Younger and Dejounte Murray. Murray was exchanged on the Pélicans in New Orleans Dyson DanielsLarry Nance Jr and two first -round decisions. Opinion was divided on who gained the career on the time, however there shouldn’t be a debate on the topic now.
Hawks could be the most important commerce within the historical past of Atlanta Hawks (whereas ready for Outcomes of one other career This means the Pelicans), and the long run Hawks appears brighter due to this. Daniels gained the Value of probably the most improved gamers within the NBA And was the finalist of the defensive participant of the yr whereas being thought of an important play for the way forward for the Hawks alongside Younger.
Whereas the second commerce gave to the lifetime of franchise in Hawks, the primary career Murray virtually put the Hawks in one of many worst positions of the NBA. In a classification From the worst error of every franchise of the last decade, the preliminary commerce of the Hawks for Murray was n ° 7, and the commerce of the Pélicans for Murray was n ° 6:
“To begin with: it isn’t Murray’s fault that he was the goal of two of the worst trades of the last decade. It’s an album and a completely defensive winner.
However we convey collectively these two actions due to its cursed transaction shaft.
To begin with, the Hawks, looking for to discover a rear space accomplice for Trae Younger and to return to the magic that had propelled them to a shocking convention last in 2021, acquired Murray of the Spurs in trade for 3 first first and an trade of selection. One among these decisions (by way of the Hornets) didn’t find yourself transporting, however the Spurs landed Carter Bryant (the selection n ° 14 final month) on this supply, they usually all the time management the unprotected decisions of Hawks in 2026 and 2027.
Regardless of this excessive price, Murray didn’t get nearer to Atlanta. The Hawks didn’t end with a document of victories within the two phases that Murray was on the checklist, and the alignments with Younger and Murray enjoying collectively have been upgraded within the two years.
The saving grace of Atlanta is that New Orleans has executed an much more unbalanced commerce for Murray two years later, seizing the celebrities guard in trade for Dyson Daniels and two first-round decisions (one of many Hawks of which handled within the commerce in Kristaps Porzingis, the opposite to convene in 2027).
If this settlement was solely a direct trade of Murray for Daniels, Atlanta would have gained it. Murray tore an Achilles whereas the Pélicans completed 21-61 final season, whereas Daniels, seven years youthful, gained probably the most improved gamers’ prize and completed as a defensive participant of the yr. The truth that the Pélicans additionally made two first two solely aggravates their facet of commerce. “”
In artworkarticleKevin Pelton d’Espn has regraded the career, and it isn’t a shock that’s thought of the winner:
Unique grades:
Atlanta: B +
New Orleans: B +
Have a look at one another:
Atlanta: a
New Orleans: F
“This settlement already regarded like an error for the Pélicans earlier than Murray suffered a rupture of Achilles on the finish of January which ought to preserve it out of the sector for a minimum of the primary two months of the 2025-26 season.
The largest drawback right here was New Orleans promoting low on Daniels, the selection n ° 8 in 2022. On the time, I famous that the primary 10 decisions exchanged so early of their careers tended to disappoint as a result of the crew that exchanges them extra data on their improvement. Oops! Daniels rightly gained probably the most improved participant after having change into the primary participant in many years to make a mean of three.0 interceptions.
Since Daniels has one other yr on his recruit contract ($ 7.7 million this season), doing the Murray would have been an inexpensive return to Atlanta. As well as, the Hawks obtained the selection n ° 22 of this yr – used to acquire Kristaps Porzingis from the Boston Celtics final month – and one other first spherical in 2027 which appears to be extra promising given Giannis Antetokoun in Milwaukee. “”
Given the season that Daniels had (particularly in protection), it’s troublesome to not agree with the observe that Pelton gave.
Daniels had a document of three.01 interceptions per recreation final season, the primary participant on common greater than 3.0 interceptions per recreation from Alvin Robertson in 1990-91. He slipped 229 interceptions in whole, probably the most flights in a single season within the historical past of the franchise and probably the most by all of the NBA gamers since 1996, a defensive participant of the yr Gary Payton (231, 1995-96). The third yr guard had 98 extra interceptions than the closest participant (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 131), marking the best hole between n ° 1 and n ° 2 within the historical past of the NBA. He completed the season with a stolen ratio of 1.31 (229 interceptions at 175 faults), the ninth finest flight / flight ratio since 1973-74 and the very best by all of the league gamers since Allen Iverson in 2002-03 (1.51).
Behind the defensive presence of Daniels, the Hawks improved their defensive observe from 118.4 in 2023-24 (twenty seventh in NBA) to 114.8 (18th in NBA), by NBA.com/stats, an enchancment of three.6 and the sixth finest enchancment of any crew final season. Atlanta recorded 48 video games with 10 flights of 10 or extra final season, the most important variety of video games in all NBA groups and the second largest variety of video games in a single season within the historical past of the franchise (1993-94, 56).
At 22 and 6 days outdated, the double defensive participant of the month of the month has change into the youngest NBA participant for a minimum of 1973-1974 to have a minimum of 200 interceptions in a single season, exceeding Magic Johnson in 1981-1982 (22, 240 days). Along with its 229 finest league interceptions, Daniels additionally recorded 55 blocks, finishing up the entire league with a complete of 284 actions (interceptions + blocks). He turned the primary goalkeeper to direct the NBA in whole actions since 1988, a defensive participant of the yr Michael Jordan (390, 1987-88).
