Offense is at a premium in the modern NBA, but the best teams still play elite defense. Great defenders receive their credit, but poor defenders seem to be forgotten for some reason. Similar to the All-NBA Defensive Teams that will be announced this season, we will name the All-NBA Worst Defensive Teams for the 2023-24 season.
Requirements: Minimum 50 Games Played, 30 Minutes Per Game
Stats Used: DWS (Defensive Win Shares), DEF RTG (Defensive Rating), DBPM (Defensive Box Plus-Minus)
All-NBA Worst Defense First Team
Trae Young
Defensive Stats: 0.053 DWS, 118.9 DEF RTG, -2.3 DBPM
Trae Young has established himself as one of the most electrifying offensive talents in the NBA. However, when it comes to defensive contributions, Young has faced challenges that have often placed him under scrutiny. Despite posting 1.4 steals per game this season, the point guard is not a great defensive player, and the advanced statistics back that up.
Physically, Young is undersized for his position, which often puts him at a disadvantage against bigger and stronger opponents. Additionally, his defensive habits, such as gambling for steals and inconsistent effort on that end, have left him susceptible to defensive breakdowns. Furthermore, Young’s defensive IQ and awareness can sometimes be lacking, leading to missed assignments, poor rotations, and easy scoring opportunities for his opponents.
Jordan Poole
Defensive Stats: 0.038 DWS, 119.3 DEF RTG, -1.9 DBPM
Jordan Poole has decent size for a shooting guard but might lack elite athleticism or lateral quickness, which can hinder his ability to stay in front of quicker or more agile opponents. Additionally, his defensive instincts and awareness may still be developing since becoming a max player, leading to occasional lapses in concentration, missed assignments, or late rotations.
Moreover, the demanding offensive role Poole plays for the Washington Wizards could potentially impact his defensive energy and focus at times. Balancing offensive responsibilities with consistent defensive effort can be a challenge for many players, especially younger ones still learning the nuances of NBA defense. Poole is managing to average 1.1 steals per game this season, but the advanced stats don’t favor his ability.
Saddiq Bey
Defensive Stats: 0.044 DWS, 119.1 DEF RTG, -2.0 DBPM
While Saddiq Bey has demonstrated promise as a three-and-D player with his offensive capabilities and defensive versatility, there are areas of his defensive game that require some work. Bey possesses good size and length for a forward, but he might lack lateral quickness which can limit his ability to stay in front of faster or more agile opponents. He might be better defending in the post rather than on the perimeter as a result.
Additionally, while he has shown improvement in his defensive awareness and positioning, there are moments where his decision-making or anticipation could be sharper, leading to defensive breakdowns. It doesn’t help that Bey is playing for a Hawks team that ranks 28th in defense so that doesn’t maximize what the forward can probably do in a better setting.
Kyle Kuzma
Defensive Stats: 0.028 DWS, 120.8 DEF RTG, -1.6 DBPM
To be fair, Kyle Kuzma’s offensive responsibilities and role within the Wizards’ system could potentially impact his defensive focus and energy. Balancing offensive production with consistent defensive effort can be challenging for Kuzma because the team lacks consistent scoring other than him and Jordan Poole. We saw a little bit of how Kuzma can play defense when he won a championship in 2019-29 with the Lakers.
Still, his defensive deficiencies remain a significant area of concern. To elevate his overall game and become a more complete player, Kuzma will need to improve his defensive awareness, positioning, and consistency. The forward has the size (6’9”), length, and athleticism to be a solid defender, but he needs to put in more effort because there isn’t an excuse for the former No. 27 overall pick.
Deandre Ayton
Defensive Stats: 0.078 DWS, 115.3 DEF RTG, -0.3 DBPM
Former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton possesses the ideal combination of size, length, and athleticism for a modern NBA center, which enables him to be a formidable presence in the paint. His shot-blocking instincts, timing, and ability to challenge shots without fouling are among his notable defensive attributes. However, there have been instances where Ayton’s defensive consistency and focus have been questioned.
While he has improved in terms of defensive positioning and understanding team defensive schemes, there are moments where he can be slow to react to ball movement, pick-and-roll situations, or defensive rotations, leading to open scoring opportunities for the opposition. He seems to have brought those bad habits to the Portland Trail Blazers because his advanced defensive stats do not look good for a player who probably should be a dominant paint defender by now.
All-NBA Worst Defense Second Team
Cade Cunningham
Defensive Stats: 0.057 DWS, 117.8 DEF RTG, -1.7 DBPM
Cade Cunningham entered the NBA with immense expectations due to his well-rounded skill set and basketball IQ. However, like many young players blossoming in the NBA, Cunningham is still adapting to the speed, physicality, and complexity of the game at times. His defensive fundamentals are areas that will need time and experience to develop fully.
Additionally, balancing offensive responsibilities and playmaking duties with consistent defensive effort can be challenging for him as he plays for the lowly Detroit Pistons which rank 25th in defensive rating. Physically, Cunningham has the size, length, and athleticism to be a versatile defender capable of guarding multiple positions so it might be on coach Monty Williams to get this right.
Jordan Clarkson
Defensive Stats: 0.036 DWS, 119.7 DEF RTG, -3.2 DBPM
As a primary scoring option off the bench whose job is to shoot the ball often, Jordan Clarkson is often tasked with providing instant offense and playmaking, which could potentially affect his defensive intensity and consistency. While that shouldn’t be an excuse, it is Clarkson’s role in a way. He needs to come in, get as many shots up as possible, and take a break when the starters need to come in.
Clarkson never entered the NBA as an elite defender and likely will never get there. He averages a career 0.8 steals per game so he has the quickness to play passing lanes, but he struggles in one-on-one situations and will often get beat by the best ball-handlers in the league. He has found his sixth-man role, however, so this situation works best for Clarkson.
Brandon Miller
Defensive Stats: 0.048 DWS, 118.5 DEF RTG, -1.6 DBPM
Brandon Miller is a rookie for the Charlotte Hornets who was drafted because of his scoring ability as a wing player. He is posting 17.2 points per game which is a very good number for a 21-year-old, but he will need a few years to develop into a complete defender. He has the size at 6’9” and athleticism to get there, but he needs the right coaching and setting to learn although that will be hard with the Hornets who have been in the lottery over the past few seasons.
The former No. 2 overall pick will probably improve his scoring ability more before focusing on defense since that is what he naturally does, it is still interesting to see Miller’s advanced defensive statistics show he struggles on defense. There aren’t many examples for Miller to follow right now on the Hornets roster, so that could be an area for management to improve.
Miles Bridges
Defensive Stats: 0.044 DWS, 119.7 DEF RTG, -1.3 DBPM
Miles Bridges has the ideal combination of size, athleticism, and versatility to be a versatile defender capable of guarding multiple positions. His defensive instincts, active hands, and ability to contest shots without fouling are among his notable defensive attributes but he just doesn’t apply them enough.
Bridges’ offensive responsibilities, playmaking duties, and high-energy style of play could potentially impact his defensive focus and energy at times. He is also playing for a team in the lottery and dealing with off-court issues, so full effort on defense is often hard to dig into. Still, the forward needs to improve his defense because the talent is there for him to potentially develop into an All-Star.
Nikola Vucevic
Defensive Stats: 0.079 DWS, 115.7 DEF RTG, -0.6 DBPM
With his polished post moves and shooting touch, Nikola Vucevic has consistently produced impressive numbers on the offensive end throughout his career. He is also an excellent rebounder and can manage double-doubles consistently. However, he is very slow-footed on defense and often fails to contain the best big men in the NBA.
Vucevic’s average of under 1.0 blocks per game is concerning for a player of his size (7’0″). The big man’s inability to consistently alter shots and protect the paint has been a glaring weakness for the Bulls, who ranked 19th in team defense. The big man’s stats will always look good because of his offensive ability, but what he gives up on defense could be concerning especially when the Bulls don’t have many elite defenders outside of Alex Caruso on the roster.
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