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NBA Awards Watch: Can Tim Duncan win Defensive Player of the Year?

By Brad Rowland

Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) dribbles past San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) during the second half at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 101-93. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) dribbles past San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) during the second half at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 101-93. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /
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Minnesota Timberwolves forward Andrew Wiggins (22) during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. The Timberwolves won 113-105. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Andrew Wiggins (22) during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center. The Timberwolves won 113-105. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /

Rookie of the Year

  1. Andrew Wiggins, Minnesota Timberwolves – Wiggins solidly leads all rookies in scoring (15.1 points per game), and he easily takes the biggest workload of any player in their first NBA season. There are certainly knocks on his early returns, highlighted by a subpar 50.7% true shooting, but his defense is already very good on the wing and that matters. The 19-year-old has announced his arrival with tremendous play in January (21.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 47.8% FG, 39.4% 3-PT in 10 games), and a star is being born in front of our eyes.
  2. Nikola Mirotic, Chicago Bulls – Mirotic plays for a much better team than Wiggins, and as such, his minutes are far more pressure-packed. The 23-year-old from Yugoslavia has been excellent when called upon in Chicago, averaging 15.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per 36 minutes, and Mirotic leads all rookies in PER with a solid 17.01 rating. He will always be hamstrung by playing time concerns at less than 20 minutes per game, but if Wiggins tails off, momentum will rise for Mirotic.
  3. Elfrid Payton, Orlando Magic – I’m in the Elfrid Payton fan club. The former Louisiana-Lafayette point guard is not nearly a finished product offensively, as evidenced by just 41% shooting and virtually nothing beyond the 3-point arc, but his defense is already suffocating at times, and his floor skills are improving. In has last 10 games, Payton is averaging 11.0 points, 6.6 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game while directing Orlando’s offense, and if he can just act as a league-average offensive player, that is a win given his defense.

Next: Most Valuable Player

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