There is a ton of defensive value on the board for the 2026 free agency class. The group has rim protection, wing size, pressure guards, switch defenders, and some low-usage specialists who can help playoff teams without needing many shots. This is not a ranking of the best overall free agents. It is about defensive value first.
This class could get even stronger by the end of June, as not every important defensive name counts right now. Lu Dort, Draymond Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and a few other useful defenders still have option decisions attached to their contracts. Until those decisions are made, they stay outside the list.
That is the rule here. This ranking only includes players already set to be restricted or unrestricted free agents in 2026. No team-option names. No player-option names. If a player still needs an option to be declined, he doesn’t make the cut yet.
Steals, blocks, defensive rating, switchability, rim protection, and playoff usefulness all matter here. Some names have a bigger offensive role than others, but the main question is simple: who can actually change a team’s defense?
Here are the 10 best defensive specialists already set to hit 2026 NBA free agency.
10. Josh Okogie
2025-26 Defensive Stats: 0.8 STL, 0.2 BLK, 114.3 DRTG
Josh Okogie is not the biggest defensive name in this class, but he is a real specialist, and that is why he lands at No. 10. He played 78 games for the Rockets, started 32, and logged 17.4 minutes per game in a low-usage role. The offense was always going to be limited. Still, the defensive role was easy to spot: pressure the ball, take the physical guard assignments, rebound from the perimeter, and bring activity.
The box score line looks modest, mostly because the minutes were low. Okogie finished with 0.8 steals and 0.2 blocks per game, but the rate stats tell the story. He had 63 steals in 1,354 minutes, which comes out to 1.7 steals per 36 minutes. His 2.3% steal rate was strong for a bench wing, and Basketball Reference also had him at 1.1 defensive box plus-minus. For a player with only an 11.3% usage rate, that is the whole point. His value was not shot creation; it was possessions gained, pressure, and low-maintenance defense.
The impact numbers support it. Okogie landed at +1.0 Defensive EPM, around the 90th percentile. That is a great defensive signal for a guy who did not play huge minutes and did not have a protected star role.
His frame matters. He is 6’4”, 213 pounds, and strong enough to defend up a position in short stretches. He is not a true wing stopper against bigger forwards, but he can handle physical guards, chase drivers over screens, and fight through contact. He is more of a ball-pressure defender than a switch-everything defender. That limits the ceiling, but it also gives playoff teams a clean role for him.
The Rockets were a top-six defense, and Okogie fit that identity when he played. He did not carry the defense, but he matched the style. He guarded hard, rebounded from the guard spot, and gave Ime Udoka another physical perimeter body. His 38.5% from three also helped his defensive value indirectly because it made him easier to keep on the floor than in past seasons.
The reason he is only No. 10 is also clear. Okogie is not a full-time stopper, nor a defensive organizer. He does not protect the rim like the bigs ahead of him, and he does not create chaos like the elite defenders on this list. His defensive rating was solid, not elite, and his playoff role was not huge.
Still, as a low-cost unrestricted free agent, he is one of the better defensive specialists available. He signed a one-year, $3.1 million deal with the Rockets last offseason, so his next contract should stay reasonable. A contender looking for a bench defender who can play hard minutes, pressure guards, and survive offensively if the shot holds should have Okogie on the list.
9. Keon Ellis
2025-26 Defensive Stats: 1.2 STL, 0.6 BLK, 117.4 DRTG
Keon Ellis is not a big-name defender, but he is the type of guard who can bother an offense fast. He gets into the ball, plays with active hands, and uses his 6’9” wingspan better than most guards his size. He is 6’4” and only 175 pounds, so strength can be an issue against bigger wings, but his length and timing make up for a lot of it.
The defensive activity was real in 2025-26. Ellis played 72 games, started 11, and had 83 steals and 46 blocks while playing only 20.5 minutes per game. That is why the per-minute numbers look strong. Per 48 minutes, he was at 2.7 steals and 1.5 blocks. His steal rate was 2.7%, and his block rate was 2.9%, which is very good for a guard.
The blocks are what make him more interesting than a normal pressure guard. Ellis can chase over screens, recover from behind, and still contest the shot. He also helps from the weak side and gets his hands on plays that most guards don’t reach. That is the sell with him. He is not just standing in front of the ball. He is creating turnovers and messing with shots.
His 117.4 defensive rating was not special, so there is a limit to the case. He was not carrying a defense, and guards in bench roles can have noisy ratings. But the other numbers support the eye test. Ellis had a 1.9 DPM, ranked in the 91st percentile. That matches his role much better than only looking at DRTG.
Ellis is not a defensive anchor, and he is not a full switch defender against every wing. Stronger players can still put him in bad spots. But as a guard defender, he has a real NBA skill. He can pressure the ball, jump passing lanes, block shots from behind, and give a team energy without needing many touches.
That is enough to put him at No. 9. Ellis can shoot enough to stay on the floor; he doesn’t need the ball, and he gives contenders a cheap defensive guard with real chaos creation. In this free-agent class, it is not easy to find.
8. Jalen Duren
2025-26 Defensive Stats: 0.8 STL, 0.8 BLK, 107.9 DRTG
Jalen Duren is not a classic stocks monster, so judging him only by steals and blocks misses the point. He had 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks per game, which is solid but not elite for a starting center. The better case is what happened around the rim, on the glass, and inside the Pistons’ defensive structure.
The rim numbers were the first real sign. Opponents shot 57.0% at the rim on 77 attempts with Duren at the basket. That is a strong number for a young center who still isn’t a top-tier shot blocker. He was not swatting everything, but he was making finishes harder, holding verticality better, and using his body to take away easy angles.
The isolation jump also helps his case. Duren went from allowing 1.06 points per possession in isolation to 0.42 points per possession. That is a huge swing. He still isn’t a switch big in the Bam Adebayo mold, but he was no longer an automatic target when pulled away from the rim. His feet looked better, his angles were cleaner, and he didn’t open the gate as much against drives.
The defensive rebounding is part of the defense. Duren gave the Pistons 10.5 rebounds per game and had a 26.2% defensive rebound rate. That is a real possession-finishing number. Some bigs contest well but don’t finish the stop. Duren did both enough to help a serious defense.
The advanced impact was also positive. Duren ended with a +1.1 Defensive EPM, around the 89th percentile. That matches the season better than the block average. Duren’s 107.9 defensive rating also shows he was helping a team defense that had much more structure than in past years.
There are still limits. He is not Walker Kessler as a pure rim protector, and he is not Mitchell Robinson as a paint deterrent. He can still be late in transition, and he can still have rough closeouts when he is pulled too far from the basket. But the improvement was real.
That is why Duren lands at No. 8. He is a better overall player than some defenders ahead of him, but as a specialist, he is still behind the elite rim protectors and chaos defenders. The defensive case is growth, physicality, rebounding, and much better rim discipline.
7. Robert Williams III
2025-26 Defensive Stats: 0.6 STL, 1.5 BLK, 107.1 DRTG
Robert Williams III is still one of the better defensive bigs in this class when he is on the floor. That part is not really the question. The question is always health, minutes, and how much a team can trust him for a full season. He played 59 games for the Blazers, but only 17.1 minutes per game. That is why the raw numbers don’t look huge at first.
The per-minute defense is the real case. Williams had 87 blocks in only 1,008 minutes. That is 3.1 blocks per 36 minutes, and his block rate was 7.7%. That is elite. He is not just a big body standing in the paint. He jumps passing lanes from the weak side, rotates early, and blocks shots without needing to be the primary defender on every drive.
The rebounding also helps. Williams had a 29.9% defensive rebound rate, which is a serious number for a center in limited minutes. He also had a 14.9% offensive rebound rate, and that shows how active he still is around the rim. He is not moving like his old peak version every night, but the second jump and timing are still there.
His impact metrics back it up. Basketball Reference had him at 2.4 defensive box plus-minus, in the 96th percentile. That matches what he looks like when he is right. He can defend the rim, play as a back-line helper, clean the glass, and still recover quickly enough to bother guards after a pass or rotation.
Williams is different from Jalen Duren. Duren has more youth, strength, and starting-center value. Williams is more of a defensive specialist. He reads plays faster, has better weak-side timing, and changes shots even when he doesn’t block them. The issue is that he can’t be ranked too high because the minutes are still controlled.
That is why No. 7 makes sense. If this were only about defensive peak, Williams would be higher. But free agency is not only about that. Teams have to pay for what they can actually get. With Williams, the defensive talent is clear, but the body and workload keep him behind the best specialist names.
6. Peyton Watson
2025-26 Defensive Stats: 0.9 STL, 1.1 BLK, 116.2 DRTG
Peyton Watson is here because his tools are not normal for a wing. He is 6’8”, 200 pounds, with a 7’1” wingspan, and that length shows up in a lot of different ways. He can defend on the wing, help near the rim, and recover when he gets beaten. He is still not a finished defender, but the upside is very easy to see.
The blocks are the first thing. Watson had 61 blocks in 54 games, which is a lot for a wing. His block percentage was in the 92nd percentile, so this was not just a few highlight plays. He can bother shots from the side, help when a guard gets into the paint, and use his length to contest without always needing perfect position.
Versatility is also a big part of the case. Watson ranked in the 92nd percentile in defensive versatility, and that fits the type of player he is. He can take wing matchups, switch onto guards in some lineups, and help as a weak-side defender. He is not strong enough to guard every big forward, but his length gives him room to recover.
He also had 2.7 deflections, which put him in the 59th percentile. That number is solid, not elite. Watson is not the same kind of ball thief as some guards on this list. His defense is more about length, contests, and covering space than just stealing passes.
There are still limits. His rim-defense grade was only around the 53rd percentile, and his rim frequency was in the 11th percentile. That means he was not defending the rim all the time like a real big. He had the tools to make plays there, but he was still more of a help defender than a full paint protector.
The foul profile was decent, too, with his foul rate landing in the 62nd percentile. That is useful for a young long defender. Players like Watson can get too jumpy, but he was not out of control all the time.
The 116.2 defensive rating was not great, so he can’t be ranked higher yet. He still has rough possessions and can be late with reads. But the profile is strong: 61 blocks, 92nd percentile block rate, 92nd percentile versatility, 2.7 deflections, and rare length for a wing.
That is why Watson fits at No. 6. He is not the safest defender in the class, but he is one of the best long-term defensive bets. A team looking for wing size, shot blocking, and switch potential will see the value right away.
5. Gary Payton II
2025-26 Defensive Stats: 0.9 STL, 0.3 BLK, 113.2 DRTG
Gary Payton II is here because he still creates pressure. He is 33 and only 6’2”, but he still plays with strong hands, good timing, and real point-of-attack edge. In short minutes, that still has value.
The best stat for him is deflections. Payton was at 3.6 deflections, which ranked in the 80th percentile. That fits his game. He gets a hand on passes, digs down when a driver exposes the ball, and makes screen actions feel dangerous. He is not just standing in front of guards. He is constantly touching the ball.
The turnover pressure is also strong. His adjusted defensive turnover number was 0.7, in the 93rd percentile. That is the real defensive case. Payton does not only contest. He can pressure the ball high, force rushed decisions, and turn loose dribbles into live-ball chances.
The block number is small at 0.3 per game, but his block percentage was in the 71st percentile. For a guard, that is useful. He can still contest inside, strip shots before they go up, and make plays near the basket even when he is not the biggest player on the floor.
His rim-defense mark was also solid, in the 64th percentile. That does not mean he is a rim protector. He is not. But it shows that when plays reached the paint with him involved, he was not useless. He has enough strength and timing to bother finishes from guards and smaller wings.
The versatility number was fine too, in the 70th percentile. Payton can guard point guards and shooting guards, and he can survive some bigger switches for a few seconds. He is not a full wing defender anymore, but he is strong enough to avoid getting buried right away.
The limits are clear. He shot only 29.1% from three, so teams can ignore him off the ball. That hurts his playoff minutes. He also can’t carry a big defensive role at this age. He is a short-burst defender now.
Still, the defensive profile is real: 3.6 deflections, 93rd percentile turnover pressure, 71st percentile block rate, 70th percentile versatility, and enough physical defense to stay useful. For a contender that needs a bench guard to make life hard for opposing ball-handlers, Payton still has a role.
4. Matisse Thybulle
2025-26 Defensive Stats: 2.0 STL, 0.5 BLK, 106.1 DRTG
Matisse Thybulle is still one of the best pure defenders available. He doesn’t defend like a normal wing who just stays square and uses strength. His value comes from timing, hands, jumps, and reading passes before they arrive. It can look risky, but the numbers are always loud.
The steal production was the main part of his season. Thybulle had 2.0 steals per game in only 16.0 minutes. His steal rate was 6.0%, which is a huge number for a wing. He played only 30 games and 480 minutes, so the sample is not perfect, but the defensive skill is not new. This is what he has always done.
The NBA.com hustle numbers also support it. Thybulle was tied for 8th in the league in deflections per 36 minutes at 6.9. That is the best stat for him. He gets his hands on passes, breaks simple actions, and forces offenses to restart possessions. Not every touch becomes a steal, but it still changes the rhythm.
The block rate is another reason he is above most perimeter defenders. Thybulle had 0.5 blocks per game and a 3.0% block rate. For a 6’5” wing in short minutes, that is strong. He can bother jumpers, rotate from the side, and contest shots that most guards and wings don’t reach.
The advanced box number was also huge. Basketball Reference had him at 6.1 defensive box plus-minus. That number can be noisy with low minutes, but it still matches the profile. His offense was limited, but the defensive impact was strong enough to carry his value.
The problem is still the same. Thybulle is not a plus playoff wing on offense. He shot 39.8% from three, which helps, but teams still don’t treat him like a real scoring threat. That can shrink his role if a series gets tight.
Still, this list is about defense first, and Thybulle’s case is clear. He had 2.0 steals in 16.0 minutes, a 6.0% steal rate, 6.9 deflections per 36, a 3.0% block rate, 6.1 DBPM, and a 106.1 defensive rating. Even with the offensive limits, he is one of the best defensive specialists in this free-agent class.
3. Mitchell Robinson
2025-26 Defensive Stats: 0.9 STL, 1.2 BLK, 106.2 DRTG
Mitchell Robinson is a complete defensive specialist because his value is very clear. He is 7’0”, 240 pounds, and he is a center who knows his job. He protects the paint, takes space away near the rim, and makes drivers think twice before going all the way in.
The basic block number is good, but the better stat is his 5.4 block percentage. That ranked in the 94th percentile, which is more useful than only saying 1.2 blocks per game. Robinson played fewer minutes to manage his load, so the per-game number does not fully show the impact. When he was on the floor, he was still blocking shots at an elite rate.
The rim frequency also tells the story. Robinson was involved at the rim a lot, with a 45.3 rim-frequency number that ranked in the 92nd percentile. That is important for a center. Some bigs have good block numbers because they chase highlights. Robinson’s profile is different. He is around the basket often, in the middle of the defense, and is constantly part of the paint action.
The turnover pressure was strong. He had 0.8 rim-adjusted defensive turnovers, in the 95th percentile. That is a good number for a center because it shows more than blocks. Robinson can force bad catches, get hands on the ball in traffic, and create loose possessions when guards drive into his area.
The deflection number was also useful. Robinson had 3.5 deflections, in the 79th percentile. For a center, that is strong. It shows he is not only waiting under the rim. He can bother pocket passes, touch entry passes, and make ball-handlers uncomfortable when they try to feed the big inside.
The defensive rating was strong at 106.2, and that fits the full Knicks defensive profile. Robinson is not a switch defender. His versatility number was low, so teams are not signing him to guard five positions. They are signing him to protect the rim, control the paint, and give them a real interior body.
The only real defensive concern is fouling. His personal foul rate was in the 18th percentile, so there is still a cost. He can be too physical, and his minutes can get messy if the whistle is tight. That is one reason he is not higher.
Still, the defensive case is strong. Robinson gives a team size, elite block rate, high rim involvement, good deflection numbers for a center, and real paint presence. In a free-agent class with very few true defensive centers, he belongs at No. 3.
2. Tari Eason
2025-26 Defensive Stats: 1.2 STL, 0.5 BLK, 111.5 DRTG
Tari Eason is this high because he creates defensive plays without needing a big role on offense. He played 60 games, started 34, and gave the Rockets 10.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 25.8 minutes.
The scoring was not the main point, but the shooting helped. He made 35.8% from three, so he was not a total spacing problem next to stronger offensive players.
The better part is the defensive activity. Eason finished with 72 steals in only 1,549 minutes, which comes out to 1.7 steals per 36 minutes. His 2.3% steal rate is strong for a forward, and he also had a 1.7% block rate. That is why his defensive profile is different from a basic wing stopper. He can pressure the ball, help from the side, jump passing lanes, and still make plays near the rim.
The stocks are the cleanest way to show his value. Eason had 72 steals and 28 blocks, so he was near 2.4 steals plus blocks per 36 minutes. That is real chaos creation for a player who did not even play 26 minutes per game.
He also had a 13.5% total rebound rate and a 17.8% defensive rebound rate, which is important because the Rockets could use him at forward without losing size or physicality on the glass.
His defensive rating was 111.5, and the Rockets had a 113.7 defensive rating with him on the floor. Those numbers fit the role. Eason is not just active in a fake way. He ends possessions, forces loose balls, and gives his team more chances to run. That is why he is more than a bench energy defender. He has enough size, length, rebounding, and disruption to close games in the right matchup.
The contract part is the only question. Eason is a restricted free agent, with a possible $20.0 million starting range. That is expensive for a player who posted 10.5 points per game, but the defensive value is easy to understand. Wings who can defend, rebound, create steals, and hit 35.8% from three usually don’t stay cheap for long.
1. Walker Kessler
2024-25 Defensive Stats: 0.6 STL, 2.4 BLK, 114.6 DRTG
Walker Kessler has to be first here, even if the 2025-26 sample is too small to use. He played only five games this season before the torn left shoulder labrum, so the better base is 2024-25. That year, he played 58 games, started all of them, and gave the Jazz 12.2 rebounds, 0.6 steals, and 2.4 blocks in 30.0 minutes.
The defensive case is easy. Kessler had 138 blocks in 2024-25 and ranked fourth in total blocks, even though he played only 58 games. He also ranked second in blocks per game at 2.4. That is the main reason he is above the other defensive specialists in this class.
Most good defenders need context. Kessler gives his team rim protection every night. If guards get beat, he is the second line. If wings lose the corner, he can still contest late. That kind of size changes the way opponents attack the paint.
The rate stats make the case stronger. Kessler had a 7.4% block rate, which is elite starter-level rim protection. He also had a 16.6% offensive rebound rate, 27.1% defensive rebound rate, and 21.9% total rebound rate. That is not just shot-blocking.
He protects the rim, then he ends the possession. That is the key with him. Some shot-blockers chase blocks and leave the glass open. Kessler usually gives both things: vertical size and rebounding.
The Jazz were bad, finishing 17-65 and 15th in the West, so his 114.6 defensive rating needs context. That number is not as dominant as the block stats, but it also came on a team that gave him very little perimeter protection. Kessler still did his job. He covered mistakes, cleaned misses, and gave the Jazz one stable defensive piece in a season where almost everything around him was unstable.
The contract part will be interesting because Kessler is a restricted free agent in 2026. His 2025-26 salary was $4.9 million, so his next deal will be a massive jump. The shoulder injury can hurt his market a little, but it shouldn’t erase the main point.
A 7’2” center who rebounds like this, blocks shots at this rate, and can start 58 games is not a backup big. Among defensive specialists in this free agency class, Kessler has the clearest premium skill.
