Most Improved Pay: Daniels signs USD $100M extension

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Australian Dyson Daniels turned his 2024-25 Most Improved Player Award into one of 2025-26's Most Improved Pay packets, signing a four-year, guaranteed USD $100M  contract extension with the Atlanta Hawks.

Daniels, 22, was heading into the final year of his USD $25M four-year rookie deal, signed with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2022, that would have earned him USD $7.7M.

The Bendigo-born National Basketball Association Most Improved Player, who led the league in steals (229) last season, was eligible for a contract extension before the October 21 (AEDT) deadline. He will become an Unrestricted Free Agent in 2030-31 at age 27.

Dyson Daniels' Contract

Year │ Age │ Cap Hit (Annual)

• 2026–27 │ 23 │ Estimate $22,321,429
• 2027–28 │ 24 │ Estimate $24,107,143
• 2028–29 │ 25 │ Estimate $25,892,857
• 2029–30 │ 26 │ Estimate $27,678,571
• 2030–31 │ 27 │ UFA │ —

Extending Daniels has removed him from the 2026 off-season bidding war that would have likely erupt given more teams will have cap space next year.

NBA Insider Zach Lowe said on his podcast last week: "The Hawks have to think long and hard about a lot of players and mitigates against an extension.

"They have to think about (Kristaps) Porziņģis and they have all year to do it. They have to think about Trae Young and they've got all year to do it. They've got to pay (Zaccharie) Risacher down the line, they've already paid Jalen Johnson in a deal that is going to age really well.

"And Dyson Daniels is going to come in and say 'look man, I was already the best perimeter defender in the NBA probably last year, I also averaged 14 a game. I won Most Improved Player, I shot 54% from twos, I created offense on my own, almost, when possessions broke down with my little floater and my bully-ball shoulder, shimmy game ... I'm on 30, I want a number that starts with a 3. Look at some of the other comps in the league ... I can get 30 million ... that's me'."

Daniels' extension comes after Australian Boomers teammate Josh Giddey, 23, signed four-year, USD $100M extension with the Chicago Bulls after an off-season standoff between the two camps.

NBA general managers voted Daniels the best perimeter defender heading into the 2025-26 season.

Daniels earned almost one third of the votes in the anonymous NBA poll. It will only bolster his contract talks ahead of becoming a restricted free agent in 2026.

Who is the best perimeter defender in the NBA?

1. ‍Dyson Daniels, Atlanta – 31%‍
2. Alex Caruso, Oklahoma City – 24%
3. Amen Thompson, Houston – 22%
4. Lu Dort, Oklahoma City – 14%
5. Jrue Holiday, Portland – 7%
6. Ausar Thompson, Detroit – 2%
   » Last year: Jrue Holiday – 43%

Dyson Daniels in the 2024-25 NBA season

• He had the most steals in the 21st century with 229
• He had the most steals since Gary "The Glove" Payton (231) in 1995-96.
• He was 36th player in NBA history to have 200+ steals in a season.
• ‍He was the youngest player in NBA history to have more than 200 steals. The next youngest ... Magic Johnson in 1981-82.
• He had the most steals in an NBA season by and Australian.
• He had eight steals against Minnesota on Christmas Eve, 2024.
• He had 15 games this season with five or more steals. The next closest is just four.
• He was ranked 12th in NBA history for most six-steal games in a single season with seven.
• He had had seven steals in a game three times.
• He had more steals in a single season than any player since the start of the 2019-20 NBA season.

Read more about the National Basketball Association here.