Offense wins games, but defense wins Championships. That’s a premise that’s been around since the dawn of the game and it’s not likely to go away any time soon.
Even if the league often favors the offensive player and young ballers want to pull up from deep like Stephen Curry rather than protect the paint like Ben Wallace, every team needs tough defenders to succeed.
However, there are a handful of players that are incredibly nocive for their teams when it comes to getting stops. Some of them are even All-Stars and a team’s building block, but they’re still terrible defenders.
That’s why Bleacher Report took the time to expose the worst defender at every position on the court and today, we’ll let you know everything you know about them:
Point Guard – Trae Young
Statistics: Minus-2.7 DBPM, Minus-4.66 DRPM, Minus-3.73 D-PIPM
Defensive Score: 3.0
Trae Young is one of the most entertaining players to watch right now. He has unlimited range and some of the craftiest moves the league has ever seen. Also, he’s a top-tier playmaker and a top-3 scorer this season in the NBA.
However, Young is a huge defensive liability and that has always been a major concern with him. He lacks instincts in the defensive end and tends to be slow and unaware when rotating, let alone his lack of strength to hold his own vs. bigger players:
“Atlanta’s overall defense is dreadful (28th in efficiency), but it’s at its worst with Young. The difference playing with him and without is a team-worst swing of 9.7 points per 100 possessions in the wrong direction. He also allows opponents to shoot better against him than they do on average at every level, including huge spikes inside of 10 (8.5 percentage points) and six (13.3) feet,” Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley wrote.
Shooting Guard – Bradley Beal
Statistics: Minus-3.0 DBPM, Minus-3.69 DRPM, Minus-3.48 D-PIPM
Defensive Score: 2.0
Bradley Beal is having one of the best scoring seasons ever. He’s become one of the league’s elite shooting guards and the kind of scorer that can single-handedly win games.
However, he’s been dreadful in the defensive end of the floor without John Wall next to him, but to be fair, the Wizards as a whole have been terrible in defense without Wall. Beal isn’t nearly as bad of a defender as these numbers suggest, but he better start getting some stops.
“Washington’s defense is 10.9 points better per 100 possessions when he’s not in the game. Among the 251 players to defend at least 20 isolations, Beal has allowed the eighth-highest scoring rate (1.36 points per possession, 5th percentile). Players boost their two-point percentage by 8.2 points when he defends them,” reads the report.
“It has been a rough season and a half for him on that end (…) The Wizards have been staggeringly worse with Beal on the floor. There is a ton of noise in those numbers, but they are so dramatic, you can’t totally ignore them,” ESPN’s Zach Lowe reported.
Small Forward – Justin Jackson
Statistics: Minus-2.4 DBPM, Minus-2.06 DRPM, Minus-1.94 D-PIPM
Defensive Score: 1.7
Justin Jackson was supposed to have a bigger role this season with the Dallas Mavericks but that hasn’t been the case so far and that’s not likely to change any time soon given his poor defense.
Jackson needs more rhythm and playing time to get it going in the defensive end. He’s got the tools but has lacked the minutes to prove it, as he’s been extremely passive and conservative in defense.
“While he has a decent size-length combo (6’7″ with a 6’11” wingspan), he has trouble matching both strength and explosiveness. And despite having some reach, he’s just not disruptive. Of the 314 players to log 500 minutes this season, he’s one of five to have no more than nine steals and six blocks. He hasn’t drawn a charge all season, and his 24 deflections are tied for 18th-fewest (minimum 500 minutes).
Being a non-factor on the glass isn’t helping, either. His career 7.1 rebounding percentage ranks 145th out of the 154 players 6’7″ or taller to log 2,000-plus minutes since he entered the league,” the report stated.
Power Forward – Rui Hachimura
Statistics: Minus-2.3 DBPM, Minus-2.30 DRPM, Minus-2.05 D-PIPM
Defensive Score: 2.0
Another member of the Washington Wizards makes our list. Like most rookies, Hachimura is struggling to stay on his feet and keep up with the pace of NBA basketball and he’s getting torch on defense every possession.
Hachimura has the physical tools and archetype to become a top-notch defender in the wing. However, he’s looked effortless in that end. It’s obviously hard to stay motivated if none of your teammates plays defense, but that’s no excuse for the rookie.
“In other words, defensive challenges were expected with Hachimura. He’s neither a shot-blocker (five blocks in 30 games) nor a ballhawk (22 steals), and he isn’t the rebounder his physical tools say he should be (5.5 defensive rebounds per 36 minutes). He sometimes sees the game and reacts to it at dial-up speeds”, the report added.
Center – Thomas Bryant
Notable Numbers (Ranking): Minus-0.2 DBPM, Minus-2.66 DRPM, Minus-1.35 D-PIPM
Defensive Score: 3.0
Thomas Bryant looks like the kind of big man that could become a dominant presence below the rim. However, he doesn’t alter many shots, isn’t a rim protector, and often rotates slowly when helping on the weak side.
Bryant is a solid rebounder and has developed a sweet touch around the rim as a finisher. He’s got the size and length to be a great stopper but lacks the instincts and effort at that end of the floor. There’s no wonder why the Wizards have been historically bad in defense this season.
“Bryant has struggled to guard the rim, stymieing pick-and-rolls, playing help defense and boxing out opponents to make rebounding easier for his teammates,” The Athletic’s Fred Katz wrote in October. “The coaching staff is constantly working with him on his boarding. His flaws … are the types that can bog down a true center’s market value.
Bryant is tied for 74th in blocks per 36 minutes and tied for 68th in boards per 36 minutes. Among high-volume defenders, he allows the eighth-highest conversion rate within three feet (61.1 percent). Only Beal does more damage to the Wizards’ defensive rating differential (8.4 points better per 100 possessions without Bryant)”, the report concluded.
Luckily for most of these guys, there’s still some potential to become at least an average defender, but they’ll have to put in a lot of work in the gym next summer.
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