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NBA: Top 10 Candidates For Defensive Player Of The Year Award In 2016-17

By Gerald Bourguet

November 21, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) shoots the basketball against Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) during the second quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
November 21, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) shoots the basketball against Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) during the second quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 6, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Marcus Morris (13) dribbles the ball as Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) defends at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Pacers won 112-104. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Paul George

Other than Kawhi Leonard and LeBron James when he’s locked in, there’s probably not a more stifling two-way small forward than Paul George. With the Indiana Pacers bringing in Jeff Teague, Thaddeus Young and Al Jefferson to revamp the offense, PG-13’s lockdown defense on the wing will be vital this year.

Under head Frank Vogel, the Pacers were almost always a top-10 defense. But with him, Roy Hibbert, Lance Stephenson, David West and George Hill long gone now, George is the only remaining member of those stifling defensive teams that made it to the conference finals just a few years ago.

In his triumphant comeback season, PG-13 earned All-Defensive Second Team honors. This year, he’ll need to be even better under a new head coach whose primary focus will be putting points on the scoreboard and pushing the tempo.

Indiana’s defense will need second-year center Myles Turner to take a major step to maintain a top-10 defensive rating, but PG-13 will have to set the example right from the start for the rest of the team as their premier and most versatile defender.