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

7. Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors

Years down the road, we may look back at Draymond Green’s career and wonder how he only won Defensive Player of the Year once. It’s not a stretch to say he’s one of the most transformative defenders in NBA history, not just for unlocking the deadliest two-way lineup the game has ever seen, but for the impact his abilities as a small-ball 5 have had around the league.

However, this is not a lifetime achievement award, and as much as the Death Lineup revolutionized modern NBA trends, it’s not a new invention at this point. The simple truth is the Golden State Warriors coast during the regular season, as any team gunning for a fourth title in five years would be expected to.

Green is as dangerous as ever on defense when the Dubs are locked in, but you could see signs of letting their foot off the gas last year, when they only ranked ninth in defensive rating and Green only made their defense 1.2 points better per 100 possessions. Still, it’s hard to rule out a former DPOY winner and one of the NBA’s best all-around defenders — especially one capable of averaging 7.6 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game in a “down” year.