Dyson Daniels: 2022 NBA Draft Scouting Report

A high-feel 6'7" guard with great defensive traits, Daniels checks a lot of boxes despite not being an elite scorer

What does it mean to be a ‘point guard’ anymore?

Is it being best utilized playing with the ball in one’s hands in the pick-and-roll? Someone who is pass-first and creates for others? Do you have to be a certain size before you’re vaulted into a different position? Is being best at the point of attack defensively, chasing players with those traits around the court, part of the litmus test?

We aren’t sure there is a great answer. For that reason, we list 6’7” Dyson Daniels as a combo guard due to the combination of skills and size he possesses. As more of a pass-first, better on-ball than off-ball threat in the half-court — and perhaps this draft’s premier one-on-one perimeter defender — he checks all the boxes of what we may traditionally think of as a point guard.

A big creator, Daniels averaged 4.5 assists per game while sharing on-ball reps in the G-League with PNR-centric guard Scoot Henderson and iso scoring maven Jaden Hardy. Spacing was cramped surrounded largely by non-shooters, so the pick-and-roll reps were somewhat limited, both in number and in impact. What we know about Daniels’ passing is that it’s likely his best offensive trait to translate to the NBA.

Unless you want to count micro-skills, of course. Daniels’ go-to scoring move in the lane is a spin move into a little floater. That floater, with his elite touch from 3-10 feet, allows him to mitigate one of his biggest concerns (athleticism at the rim) and pairs nicely with an increased pick-and-roll presence at the next level.

Part of figuring out Daniels’ impact is in determining what the likelihood is of him playing more of an on-ball role or an off-ball one in the NBA. While it may be easy to say “Daniels is better served with the ball in his hands”, there’s only one ball per game and 30 teams out there. Hundreds of NBA players are likely best individually if they got touches. The guys who can play off-ball are not only required but incredibly valuable.

That’s where we’ve seen Daniels all along, and why he checks in as more of a combo guard on our list. As a slasher, a ball mover and someone with more shooting potential than his numbers indicate, being a low-volume connector piece could be where he’s destined to end up.