Dwight Howard Jabs at Dyson Daniels' $100M Hawks Extension

The Hawks handed Dyson Daniels a $100 million rookie extension, and Dwight Howard reacted on social media, noting he "never signed a contract worth $100 million" despite $245.1 million in career earnings. It matters because the NBA’s money has swelled — the 2025-26 salary cap is $154.6M with a second apron at $207.8M — and that growth is changing how teams value youth and lock up potential. Merlin sees the old trade-off between longevity and headline deals. Howard’s career proves steady pay can outpace single big checks, while Atlanta is betting Daniels — a 22-year-old Most Improved Player and All‑Defensive first-teamer — is worth an early, expensive commitment. The market will keep stretching; the question is which young stars will repay those bets.