Dyson Daniels denies making a shooting on the Pelicans bench

NEW ORLEANS – Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels is denying allegations that he faked shooting at former teammates after hitting a 3-pointer in front of the New Orleans bench in Sunday night's 126-111 win over the Pelicans .

“I just told everyone it was worth three points,” Daniels said, noting his thumb and two other fingers were outstretched as he extended his right arm toward the Pelicans bench, representing three points.

When Daniels learned that his gesture also resembled a gun, he said, “It might have looked that way, but I just told them it was worth three points.” You know, pointing at them all, that was all. I did it.” Surely everyone knew how many points it was worth.

The NBA has handed out some high-profile gun violence fines over the last decade, including $35,000 to Josh Jackson in 2017 and $25,000 to Gerald Green in 2015.

Meanwhile, Ja Morant was suspended for 25 games in 2023 for brandishing a real gun during a social media video.

Some on the Pelicans bench appeared to ask the officials to give Daniels a technical foul for unsportsmanlike conduct.

“I didn’t get one. So the referee was right,” said Daniels, an Australian whom the Pelicans made with the eighth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. “I was just out there having fun. I was hoping to hit a 3 in that corner so I could let the bank know. It was a game I had circled on my calendar.”

Daniels and Hawks forward Larry Nance Jr. were traded from New Orleans to Atlanta last offseason as part of a deal that brought point guard Dejounte Murray to the Pelicans. Murray did not play Sunday night as he was sidelined for four to six weeks by a broken hand in the first regular-season game at New Orleans.

Nance laughed when asked if he thought the Pelicans calling for Daniels to be assessed a technical foul were even joking.

“You know what? No comment,” Nance said. “I’ll stay away from that.”

Nance, like Daniels, had some back-and-forth with the Pelicans' bench, staring them down after a dunk in the third quarter and then blowing them a kiss after a corner 3, also in front of the New Orleans bench.

Nance said the Pelicans players screamed, “Hell no!”

“First of all, we are all competitors. And second of all, we’re friends,” Nance said. “You can say some things to each other just because we know it's all love.

“I have nothing but love and admiration for everyone in this locker room,” Nance added. “Tonight was a lot of fun. I’m glad we won.”

Daniels finished the season with 16 points, also returning after two games out with a right hip strain that he said was no longer bothering him.

“Even if I wasn't 100%, I would make sure I came back for this game,” Daniels said, noting that it was a tough moment for him when he first learned New Orleans was subbing him.

“It was unexpected. I came into the league here and this was my home,” Daniels said. “They drafted me. They believed in me. Everyone was great to me. But this is a business; things like this happen. So you have to put an end to it. I'm happy to be in Atlanta. That’s me.” I’m enjoying my opportunity there.

Nance scored 14 points during Sunday's game, which got rough at times and included an apparent foul on Hawks guard Garrison Matthews, who appeared to give Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado a hard forearm up the middle.

“I don’t know what kind of game that was,” said Alvarado, who was held back by his teammates as he walked toward Matthews and yelled.

“I just wanted to ask him what was going on with it,” Alvarado said. “It wasn’t really aggressive. It felt like it was a cheap shot. I don’t know why he did that.”