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Atlanta Dream: Tiffany Hayes signs multi-year extension with team

By Joseph Zucker

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 11: Tiffany Hayes #15 of the Atlanta Dream shoots a foul shot against the Washington Mystics on July 11, 2018 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 11: Tiffany Hayes #15 of the Atlanta Dream shoots a foul shot against the Washington Mystics on July 11, 2018 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Hayes, Atlanta Dream agree to long-term extension; terms undisclosed

Tiffany Hayes signed a multi-year extension with the Atlanta Dream, the team announced Tuesday.

“Signing Tiffany long-term adds to an already extraordinary year,” Dream general manager Chris Sienko said in the team’s press release. “She leads by example on a very impressive roster. One of our biggest objectives has been keeping Tiffany Hayes in Atlanta.”

A member of the 2012 draft class, Hayes was a restricted free agent after the 2015 season but signed a new deal with the Dream in February 2016. According to High Post Hoops’ WNBA salary database, she made $111,000 in 2017 and will earn $113,000 for this year.

Getting Hayes’ contract situation resolved now helps Atlanta avoid any offseason drama regarding her future, and it justly rewards her amid what is a career year.

Entering Tuesday’s game against the Las Vegas Aces, the 28-year-old guard was averaging 17.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. According to Basketball Reference, she’s 10th in the WNBA in win shares (4.0) and eighth in win shares per 48 minutes (.269)—after excluding Alexis Prince, who has played four total minutes.

A deeper dive into the numbers further illustrates Hayes’ value to Atlanta. She sits in the top eight percent in offensive points per possession (1.055) and the top 16 percent in defensive PPP (0.757), per Synergy Sports. Her 93.0 defensive rating is also second on the team behind Imani McGee-Stafford, per WNBA.com.

After winning 12 games in 2017, Dream signaled their intent for 2018 by signing Renee Montgomery and Jessica Breland and welcoming back a returning Angel McCoughtry.

As a result of those moves and Hayes’ excellent play, Atlanta sits second in the WNBA at 19-10. The team is further ahead than anybody reasonably expected it would be at this point under first-year head coach Nicki Collen. There’s no reason that progress won’t continue in 2019, especially with Hayes on board.

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