Defensive Player of the Year: Paul Millsap
This was a tough choice, as Will Barton could’ve been handed the nod here due to his all-out style of play on the defensive end. Given the trends of the league, however, Paul Millsap earns this spot.
Since evolving into an All-Star half a decade ago, Millsap has become one of the more versatile weapons on defense, equally capable of defending the perimeter and the paint.
With career averages of 1.3 steals and 1.0 blocks per game, Millsap’s size and quickness allow him to affect the game in so many different ways at that end.
The Nuggets have rarely been known for their defensive chops, making it difficult to create a case for Millsap as the league’s best defensive player, especially when considering his age is slowly creeping into the mid-30’s, sapping away some of that lateral quickness.
It’d be a nice story for Paul Millsap to solidify his status among some of the game’s best, but the circumstances probably don’t have it in the cards for him.