Daniels role to expand with Young injury

• ‍Most Improved Pay: Daniels signs USD $100M extension‍
• Target 301: Every Dyson Daniels '25-26 game listed‍
• 'A Star is Born': Hawk Dyson Daniels soars in 2025

Atlanta's four-time NBA All-Star Trae Young is out for more than a month with an MCL sprain, which means Australian Dyson Daniels will play more minutes as the Hawks primary ball handler and get more shots.

Critics of the 22-year-old Daniels' four-year USD $100M contract extension were starting to circle the 2024-25 Most Improved Player after his scoring had dropped off through the first five games of the season. His defensive numbers hadn't decreased.

Daniels has the equal most amount of steals to start the season with 14, tied with Milwaukee's Ryan Rollins. He's averaging 2.3 steals per game.

But it's no coincidence Daniels delivered a season-high 18 points against the Indiana Pacers yesterday in the Hawks' 128-108 win on the road, the first game without the 27-year-old Young.

All-Star guard Young sprained his MCL in the first quarter against the Brooklyn Nets last week. Nets forward Noah Clowney fell backwards into his leg. He had an MRI last week and it revealed no major damage but he will be re-assessed in four weeks.

It's a blow for the 3-3 Hawks, who are second in the Southeast Division but it's an opportunity for Daniels to become a secondary scorer behind new signing Kristaps Porziņģis. Porziņģis, 30, has soaked up much of Daniels' shot opportunities this season as the Hawks work through how to integrate the 2.18m stretch centre into their offense.

Dyson Daniels vs Indiana Pacers

• ‍Minutes: 38 │ Points: 18 │ Off. Rebounds: 2 │ Def. Rebounds: 7 │ Total Rebounds: 9 │ Assists: 6 │ Steals: 3 │ Blocks: 0 │ Turnovers: 1 │ FG: 8-13 (61.5%) │ 3PT: 0-0 (0.0%) │ FT: 2-2 (100%) │ Personal Fouls: 2 │ +/-: +13

Dyson Daniels 2025–26 Box Score

• Games: 6 │ Minutes: 31.7 │ FGM: 3.5 │ FGA: 8.2 │ FG%: 42.4 │ 3PM: 0.2 │ 3PA: 0.5 │ 3P%: 28.6 │ FTM: 1.0 │ FTA: 1.8 │ FT%: 61.1 │ Rebounds: 6.0 │ Assists: 3.7 │ Steals: 2.3 │ Blocks: 0.5 │ Turnovers: 1.7 │ Fouls: 3.2 │ Points: 8.2 │ Efficiency: 13.8

Atlanta Hawks Schedule: November 2025

• Mon, Nov 3 – @ Cleveland (10:00 AM)
• Wed, Nov 5 – vs Orlando (12:00 PM, NBC / Peacock)
• Sat, Nov 8 – vs Toronto (11:30 AM)
• Sun, Nov 9 – vs Los Angeles (12:00 PM, NBA TV)
• Tue, Nov 11 – @ LA Clippers (2:30 PM, NBA TV)
• Thu, Nov 13 – @ Sacramento (2:00 PM)
• Fri, Nov 14 – @ Utah (1:00 PM)
• Mon, Nov 17 – @ Phoenix (12:00 PM)
• Wed, Nov 19 – vs Detroit (12:00 PM, NBC / Peacock)
• Fri, Nov 21 – @ San Antonio (12:00 PM, NBA TV)
• Sun, Nov 23 – @ New Orleans (11:00 AM)
• Mon, Nov 24 – vs Charlotte (10:00 AM)
• Wed, Nov 26 – @ Washington (11:00 AM, MNMT)
• Sat, Nov 29 – vs Cleveland (11:30 AM)

Daniels faces Australians Tyrese Proctor and Luke Travers' Cleveland Cavaliers twice in November.

What the MCL does

The MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament) runs along the inner side of the knee, connecting the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shin bone).
It prevents the knee from bending inward excessively and provides stability during cutting, pivoting, and side-to-side movements — all crucial for basketball players.

Sprain Grades

A sprain is classified by severity:

• Grade 1 (Mild): Ligament fibres are stretched but not torn. The knee feels stable, and recovery usually takes 1–3 weeks.
• Grade 2 (Moderate): Partial tear of the ligament. Mild swelling and tenderness, with some looseness. Recovery typically 3–6 weeks.
• Grade 3 (Severe): Complete tear of the ligament. Knee instability and significant pain/swelling. Often 6–8+ weeks and may require bracing or surgery.

“No major damage” means

In Trae Young’s case, the MRI showed:

• No complete tear of the MCL (so not Grade 3)
• No ACL, meniscus, or cartilage involvement
• The joint remains structurally sound, meaning rehab and rest should restore function without surgery

Recovery outlook

For NBA players, a Grade 1–2 MCL sprain typically sidelines them 2–4 weeks, depending on pain tolerance, swelling, and stability.
He’ll likely undergo:

• Rest and ice initially
• Rehab and strengthening for quad, hamstring, and hip muscles
• Progressive on-court activity once the knee is stable and pain-free

So “MCL sprain with no major damage” basically means a partial or mild injury that’s expected to heal naturally with rest and physiotherapy — not surgery.