NBA Awards Watch: The Final Ballot

Defensive Player of the Year

1. Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors – Green doesn’t look like a traditional DPOY winner, but he has more than earned this distinction. The uber-versatile forward is a rare breed in that Green can legitimately defend all five positions on the floor (doing so repeatedly) and he is exceptional in both individual and team-based defensive concepts. The Warriors fall off by more than 6 points per 100 possessions defensively when Green heads to the bench, and while some may argue that Andrew Bogut is the most outstanding individual defender on that time (and they may be right), Green’s overall imprint has been the most significant, appearing in 78 games and playing nearly 32 minutes per night. The advanced stats back up the eye test on Green’s candidacy, landing him in the top five in both defensive rating and defensive win shares, and the former Michigan State forward unlocks so many doors for Steve Kerr and defensive guru Ron Adams with his varied abilities. Draymond Green is an outstanding defender, even if he doesn’t lead the NBA in blocks or steals.
2. Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs – If Leonard had been healthy over a full season, he would probably be my selection for the award. The terrifying forward has been everywhere for the Spurs defensively this season, leading the NBA in defensive rating while landing top-5 in defensive win shares, and Leonard leads the league in steals despite possessing the size to effectively defend power forwards. At this point, various members of the Spurs indicate that San Antonio is Kawhi Leonard’s team, and that is borderline insane given the presence of Tim Duncan. The crazy part, though, is that it is true. Leonard is that good on both ends, but especially on the defensive side of things, where he is unquestionably elite.
3. Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz – This may seem crazy to you, but Gobert is already the most dominant rim protector in the NBA at the age of 22. The 7-foot-1 center from France was a complete non-factor during his rookie season with the Jazz, but Gobert has exploded in conjunction with the trade of Enes Kanter, to the point where he averaged 2.3 blocks per game in less than 28 minutes per contest. For a snapshot of his dominance, Gobert averaged 2.53 blocks and 13.6 rebounds per game after the All-Star break, and his breakout performance earned him justified attention nationally. However, the kicker to his DPOY candidacy is the fact that Gobert leads the NBA in defending the rim, allowing opponents to make just 39.9% of their field goal attempts in the basket area, and effectively injecting fear in the opposition on a nightly basis. Rudy Gobert’s upside is tantalizing on both ends, but he is already a full-fledged monster defensively.

Next: Rookie of the Year