Dyson Daniels was the talk of the NBA last season, winning Most Improved Player and finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. After a quiet first two seasons in New Orleans, Daniels averaged 14.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and a league-high 3.0 steals.
While last season was incredible, it is unrealistic to expect Daniels to recreate his success on the defensive end. The last time a player averaged 3 steals a game was over 30 years ago, and Daniels' DPOY placement benefited from injuries to early-season favorites for the award, Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren.