NBA: Top 10 candidates for 2018-19 Defensive Player of the Year award

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8. Andre Roberson, Oklahoma City Thunder

Andre Roberson can’t shoot outside of eight feet, but his impact on the defensive end is unquestionable. This is a guy who not only passes the eye test, but is of the utmost importance to the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s defense by the numbers as well.

OKC finished as the league’s 10th-best defense last year, but before Roberson’s season-ending injury, they were ranked fifth, giving up 103.1 points per 100 possessions. After that injury, they plummeted to 15th with a defensive rating of 107.0.

The Thunder’s defense was also a whopping 11.2 points per 100 possessions stingier with him on the floor. There’s no question Roberson is one of the game’s elite defensive stoppers, but his issue is the low block and steal averages (1.2 and 0.9 per game, respectively), and the fact that he might not be 100 percent until December.