The Rockets are stacked with versatile lockdown defensive players. Are they switchable? Can they guard 1-5? Who will be the best defender next season? Which guy would you like to see guarding the other team's best player regardless of position? Amen Thompson 6'7" height, 7'0" wingspan Dilllon Brooks 6'6" height, 6'6" wingspan Jabari Smith Jr - 6'10" height, 7'1" wingspan Tari Eason - 6'8" height, 7'2" wingspan
Amen has by far the highest ceiling as a defender on this team. Basically a more athletic and coordinated Tari. So if I was to guess, it'll be him.
Amen, assuming health will be our best defender for the next decade. Don't sleep on Jabari. He's going to be a leader on that side of the ball.
Amen is already our best defender and if given the minutes should be all defensive this year. Jabari is already one of the best defenders on Chet, Wemby, and Durant. He also has an all defensive future if he can add some muscle. He will never be as versatile as Amen, but can guard any wing in the league. He doesn’t have quick enough feet to guard the Ant’s or Jalen’s of the world.
amen is switchable 1-4 jabari is switchable 3-5 they compliment eachother well on that side of the ball.
I love Amen and Tari defensively. That said, I'd guess Landale or Adams will be the best defender. Being big and playing center is so important for a defense. Sengun was a lot better defensively than the small ball centers. I think the 2nd unit is going to bring the D this year...provided the Rockets don't play Jabari as a small ball center much.
Eason, he clearly has done what he has done since LSU to his limited NBA body of work Cause havoc on defense from all angles, he is Claw-Leonard lite from early 13/14 spurs version on def. Amen is also right there, Dillon is there as the vet bully.....more so the perception but it is much needed for this young squad.... Rockets should be rejoicing having this type of versatile wing defenders led by general Udoka, they should cause terror this season, if healthy especially
What defensive metric(s) can be looked by end of next season to determine. Other than eye test and 'reputation'.
You got your basic analytics like DBPM and then on/off impact and then your counting stats like blocks and steals. Defensive ranking has a lot to do with reputation as it's harder to measure defensive impact with analytics relative to offensive impact. This is why Kobe has so many undeserved all defensive team awards. Anyone watching the games with the eye test would conclude that Amen has the highest ceiling on that end. It's a very obvious thing just because it's very rare for a player of his length to have that length, strength and agility combo married with quick processing speed in the head.
Just trying to get a general consensus on one or a few. Then end of season, people can feel free to bump the thread and we see how each player did. Good to do before season start, otherwise convo might end being selective stats.
Being able to guard 1-5 is a bonus and doesn’t apply to most players. Defense should be rated by position. I agree switching is a sought after skill these days and almost mandatory. Help defense should also be evaluated in my opinion not just man defense.
Analytics cannot explain either good man or help defense. Remember defense isn’t just man defense. Doesn’t tell you how many times a guy gets blown by. Doesn’t tell you missed assignments. Doesn’t tell you lack of overall awareness. Doesn’t tell you if a player rotated or switched properly. Just relying on numbers are for people who don’t understand what they’re watching with their eyes.
Yeah but that's not because of his defense, its because of his shooting. If he ever learns to shoot 33% from distance, that's enough with the rest of his tools to put him in the discussion as one of the top players in the game. He's kinda like Jalen in that aspect - If the outside shot has to be respected, they are both un-guardable. If not, spacing is broken with him anywhere but the dunkers spot offensively. I'm not sure he's a starter in that case.
