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NBA Award Watch: Quin Snyder sets the Jazz beat

By John Buhler

Dec 1, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder talks with guard Raul Neto (25) during the second half against the Miami Heat at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Miami won 111-110. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 1, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder talks with guard Raul Neto (25) during the second half against the Miami Heat at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Miami won 111-110. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 6, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (0) defends against Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson (22) in the first half at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 6, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (0) defends against Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson (22) in the first half at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

Defensive Player of the Year: Andre Drummond

If there’s the first month and a half of the 2016-17 NBA season is any indication, there’s a good chance the Defensive Player of the Year Award will go to a frontcourt player.

Golden State Warriors power forward Draymond Green has forced his way into the conversation, but three traditional centers have battled it out for the first part of the season: the Atlanta Hawks’ Dwight Howard, the Detroit Pistons’ Andre Drummond and the Miami Heat’s Hassan Whiteside.

The Pistons are playing better ball than the Hawks and the Heat through early December, and Drummond should be the front-runner for Defensive Player of the Year for his great work with them.

Drummond leads the league in Defensive Win Shares at 1.8 and has a Defensive Box Plus/Minus of 4.1. His total rebound percentage of 24.2 is among his best seasons on the glass to date. He’s averaging 9.8 defensive rebounds, 1.6 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game this season.

Drummond is seeing the court very well for the 2016-17 Pistons as their defensive anchor. It’s close, but he edges out Green, Howard and Whiteside.

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