Daniels' camp reportedly seeking $30m per year extension

• Dyson Daniels profile: Substance, style, on and off the court
• Restricted free agency looms if extension talks fail before the October 20 deadline.
• $30 million per year is a figure he could reach if he enters the open market

With the deadline for rookie extensions coming Monday, a flurry of negotiations for young talents across the league will need to take place.

Of the 15 players from the 2022 draft class still eligible, including Denver’s Christian Braun and Detroit’s Jaden Ivey, a select few will land the long-term deals their franchises believe define their futures, highlighted by Victorian Dyson Daniels  in Atlanta.

The 22-year-old has evolved into a genuine success story in the Hawks organisation.

Since arriving in a trade from New Orleans last year, Daniels claimed the 2025 Most Improved Player award last season and led the entire league in steals with 229, the most by any player in a single season since Gary Payton in 1995-96. He was named to the All-Defence first team, finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting, and his offensive production surged from 5.8 to 14.1 points per game.

The Hawks' front office would want to get this deal done. They managed to lock down Jalen Johnson right at the buzzer before last year's deadline, establishing a precedent that Atlanta can make negotiations with their own players work.

Daniels' camp is reportedly wielding Jalen Suggs as the benchmark, reports ESPN. Suggs signed a five-year, $150 million extension with Orlando last year, and that number is now floating around as the comparison point.

There is also the wrinkle of Trae Young. The Hawks' franchise cornerstone carries a $49 million player option for next season, and his future remains one of the hottest topics in NBA front office circles.

A contract of five years and $125 million at a flat $25 million annually would keep the Hawks roughly $26 million below the luxury tax threshold.

If history is a guide, expect this one to go to the wire.

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