Can Singler become a better defender?

[4Everbadboy]

I got really tired of seeing Kyle Singler getting dunked on last year...trying to guard much quicker players on the perimeter. For a player his size I always see him struggle to get around screens and looses his man. Perimeter defense was a huge problem last season. I think he was a bad fit as a 2, however I like his potential as a 3.

Offensively I liked him as a spot up shooter but...I found myself wishing they would sub in Smith just to play D many times. Smith cant hack it as a 3 we all know this, so will Singler be next in line as the starting 3?

In my opinion, Singler has a better chance at getting better defensively then Smith has at being better offensively as a small foreward. I like to think Pope or Meeks will start at the 2, and the 3 someone other then Smith...if that someone is Singler, do you think he SVG can improve his defense?

[ImHeisenberg]

Defense is a team system. I don't know if Singler can become an improved defensive player, but Detroit's team defense can help make Singler more effective overall.

[Piston Pete]

Short answer.....probably not.


He's just not quick enough to cover the quicker guys, and not big enough to body up the bigger guys.

Best-case scenario for Singler defensively would have him being average-at-best.

[mus123]

I will cry if Singler is a starter this season. I feel sorry wathcing him guard elite perimiter players. He's a career back up at best a quality rotation guy.

[kurtis48239]

I think smiths defensive problems at sf last year are being overblown,like berg said,defense is a team issue and we didnt have any team defense and alot of players were reaching and playing out of position,the only other good defender we had was kcp,but he was benched last year after cheeks left.I think if smith isnt moved ALOT of people on this board will sing a different tune about smith

[theBigLip]

agree with Heisenberg and Kurtis - team D was horrible last year. That will change this year. So everyone will get better. Also agree with Mus- if Singler is starting at SF for us this year, I may not cry, but I will acknowledge we are not a good team yet. Role player? yes. Starter on a good team? no.

[Spider156]

Yes, of course. Why? Because once a player gets help from his teammates, it becomes a lot easier to stay in front of your man and covering others during the play. How? The opponents options are limited when you have a good team defense. The teammates call out the plays and you're focused on one thing, what's in front of you. You can become a better defender. All it is is effort. So instead of pouring that effort elsewhere, you're focused on what's in front of you. Not only that but the opponent on offense is also thinking, I can get in there, Drummond is in there! So one option is take. Away, the defense is already at an advantage whether you can defend the person one on one or not.

[KCP5]

Even if Singler does start surely he wouldnt be seeing anymore then 25 mpg

[coolness]

There is a disparity between Singler the defender at sg, and Singler the defender at back-up sf, and there are shades of his defensive effectiveness in between those 2 extremes. I'm interested in his effectiveness as a back-up pf, but the roster doesn't put him there yet.

[pistontr]

no. next.