Should be at least at 90. Paul George is cool at 88, still probably a quirky shot that will either fall like crazy or clank off backrim in streaks. He was difficult to play with at times last year.
If you think ratings are that indicative of anything in 2k series, watch this. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/H4RFwOy97VE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
I must have missed all those defensive teams that Westbrook has made. He hasn't been elite in that category since college.
If we just go by Lebron as 99 and Durant 94, then Harden at 89 looks fine. Harden has enough weaknesses in his game to warrant some major deductions for some of the stats. I hope he's practicing to shore up his mid-range game to become a more well-rounded scorer. The defensive rating IMO will rise sharply next season with Howard and extra year of chemistry with the team.
An 89 is a safe bet for 2k. I see him as a 90-91 and I believe he'll inch up there slowly as 2k releases updated rosters throughout the year.
Ratings don't mean as much as the actual gameplay. Kevin Durant is SO much better to use in game than Lebron, even if the ratings say otherwise.
Much better defender yes. Much better rebounder? Not really. He plays forward while Harden plays guard, so there's inherent difference in their duties as a player on the court. For reference, in the playoffs when Harden basically played forward in Rockets 3-guard lineups, his defensive rebounding % was 16.3%. Paul George's defensive rebounding percentage in the playoffs? 18.1%.