Most Improved Defensive Player - Ayton?

[pmanzano]

Saw a really interesting conversation on Halftime (https://halftime.app.link/ball) the other day and thought I'd bring it up here since they mentioned Ayton..

Which player do you think will be the most improved defensive player of the year for this coming season? Who do you think will really step it up on that end?

I’m going to throw out a few names who I think could win this award this year, and why..

Jusuf Nurkic: Being further removed from his broken leg and having Robert Covington alongside him should help get the best out of him. I think he’ll greatly improve as the anchor in Portland

DeAndre Ayton: He made big strides last year, and I think he could put it all together this year with CP3 pushing him and a more well-rounded roster around him.

John Collins: Capela’s presence should take some pressure off him, and Collins is fighting to prove he is more than just an efficient scorer in a contract year. Stepping up defensively would greatly improve his value.

De’Aaron Fox: After getting paid, it’s time for Fox to take the next step. This is his team, and I could see him growing into a dog on the defensive end of the floor.

Wendell Carter Jr.: If he can stay healthy, he has all the ability to become the anchor this young team needs defensively. The Billy Donovan hiring should help, as well as getting Otto Porter back and drafting Patrick Williams to make his life easier in the front-court.

Who do you think would win this hypothetical award?

Think Ayton can become that defensive anchor this year?

[NTB]

We were hoping so or at least I was. After two preseason games we are losing faith tbh. I still wait for the first 15 games of the real season to pass to evaluate him properly though.

[pmanzano]

We were hoping so or at least I was. After two preseason games we are losing faith tbh. I still wait for the first 15 games of the real season to pass to evaluate him properly though.

Fair -- yeah, this preseason is so tough to judge. Such a weird situation for all involved. I feel like that first 15 games like you mentioned, will be a much better indicator.

Got high hopes for him though. Hoping something gets unlocked in him when they all start to gel a bit more.

[bwgood77]

Saw a really interesting conversation on Halftime (https://halftime.app.link/ball) the other day and thought I'd bring it up here since they mentioned Ayton..

Which player do you think will be the most improved defensive player of the year for this coming season? Who do you think will really step it up on that end?

I’m going to throw out a few names who I think could win this award this year, and why..

Jusuf Nurkic: Being further removed from his broken leg and having Robert Covington alongside him should help get the best out of him. I think he’ll greatly improve as the anchor in Portland

DeAndre Ayton: He made big strides last year, and I think he could put it all together this year with CP3 pushing him and a more well-rounded roster around him.

John Collins: Capela’s presence should take some pressure off him, and Collins is fighting to prove he is more than just an efficient scorer in a contract year. Stepping up defensively would greatly improve his value.

De’Aaron Fox: After getting paid, it’s time for Fox to take the next step. This is his team, and I could see him growing into a dog on the defensive end of the floor.

Wendell Carter Jr.: If he can stay healthy, he has all the ability to become the anchor this young team needs defensively. The Billy Donovan hiring should help, as well as getting Otto Porter back and drafting Patrick Williams to make his life easier in the front-court.

Who do you think would win this hypothetical award?

Think Ayton can become that defensive anchor this year?

Possibly, but I probably wouldn't go so far as "defensive anchor". Defensively he made big strides last year, so I don't see a reason that doesn't continue. Some people are freaking out over a preseason game or two though...since he has been bad defensively.

Though many guys don't play much D in preseason and his conditioning is way off after 8 months off this year in isolation. It will likely take him a few weeks to get into real game shape and back into the swing of things.

His offense should improve with Paul though and usually these awards are won by offensive guys like Crawford, Lou Williams, etc, who don't play much defense so he may just get it if he averages like 21 and 13 with maybe slightly better D.

[pmanzano]

Saw a really interesting conversation on Halftime (https://halftime.app.link/ball) the other day and thought I'd bring it up here since they mentioned Ayton..

Which player do you think will be the most improved defensive player of the year for this coming season? Who do you think will really step it up on that end?

I’m going to throw out a few names who I think could win this award this year, and why..

Jusuf Nurkic: Being further removed from his broken leg and having Robert Covington alongside him should help get the best out of him. I think he’ll greatly improve as the anchor in Portland

DeAndre Ayton: He made big strides last year, and I think he could put it all together this year with CP3 pushing him and a more well-rounded roster around him.

John Collins: Capela’s presence should take some pressure off him, and Collins is fighting to prove he is more than just an efficient scorer in a contract year. Stepping up defensively would greatly improve his value.

De’Aaron Fox: After getting paid, it’s time for Fox to take the next step. This is his team, and I could see him growing into a dog on the defensive end of the floor.

Wendell Carter Jr.: If he can stay healthy, he has all the ability to become the anchor this young team needs defensively. The Billy Donovan hiring should help, as well as getting Otto Porter back and drafting Patrick Williams to make his life easier in the front-court.

Who do you think would win this hypothetical award?

Think Ayton can become that defensive anchor this year?

Possibly, but I probably wouldn't go so far as "defensive anchor". Defensively he made big strides last year, so I don't see a reason that doesn't continue. Some people are freaking out over a preseason game or two though...since he has been bad defensively.

Though many guys don't play much D in preseason and his conditioning is way off after 8 months off this year in isolation. It will likely take him a few weeks to get into real game shape and back into the swing of things.

His offense should improve with Paul though and usually these awards are won by offensive guys like Crawford, Lou Williams, etc, who don't play much defense so he may just get it if he averages like 21 and 13 with maybe slightly better D.

Great points! Yeah, I feel like it's waaay too early to determine what he'll look like this year. This preseason is so weird.

Might revisit this conversation after a few weeks. But I'm excited to see him develop more on that end.

[Qwigglez]

I think just most improved player in general works too. I think offensively he should be able to average 20 points from not even changing up his game from last season, just because our overall roster has improved and he should be able to get more accessible easier shots.

[cberry78]

If DA adds only one made 3 per game over last year, he'll bump his scoring average to 21 ppg. With CP3 able to spoon-feed him on the PnR his attempts and made shots should also increase (especially after they've played more than 10 minutes together), an additional 2 made shots per game would bring him up to 25 ppg. With him being used more in PnR situations he'll have more FT attempts - I'm not saying he'll average 10 FT's a game, but if he makes 5 more FT's a game, that puts him close to 30 ppg.

No, all of this will not happen, there are too many good players around him this year, but just based on his past efficiency numbers, it's not entirely out of the realm of possibilities. So yeah, MIP is definitely in the cards, but if he averages 30 and 12, MVP would be on the table.

[bwgood77]

I think just most improved player in general works too. I think offensively he should be able to average 20 points from not even changing up his game from last season, just because our overall roster has improved and he should be able to get more accessible easier shots.

Oh yeah, my post was thinking the thread said most improved player (I guess because there isn't a "most improved defensive player" award).

[bwgood77]

If DA adds only one made 3 per game over last year, he'll bump his scoring average to 21 ppg. With CP3 able to spoon-feed him on the PnR his attempts and made shots should also increase (especially after they've played more than 10 minutes together), an additional 2 made shots per game would bring him up to 25 ppg. With him being used more in PnR situations he'll have more FT attempts - I'm not saying he'll average 10 FT's a game, but if he makes 5 more FT's a game, that puts him close to 30 ppg.

No, all of this will not happen, there are too many good players around him this year, but just based on his past efficiency numbers, it's not entirely out of the realm of possibilities. So yeah, MIP is definitely in the cards, but if he averages 30 and 12, MVP would be on the table.

There are only a handful of Cs who even have over 5 FTAs, or much more than 5, so him making about 5 additional free throws is a stretch. If he could just get to 5 FTA that would be great.

Only 5 players listed as Cs avg over 5 FTA a game....Drummond at 5.2, Harrell at 5.6, Gobert at 5.9, Towns at 6.5 and Embiid at 8.5.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2020_per_game.html

[cberry78]

If DA adds only one made 3 per game over last year, he'll bump his scoring average to 21 ppg. With CP3 able to spoon-feed him on the PnR his attempts and made shots should also increase (especially after they've played more than 10 minutes together), an additional 2 made shots per game would bring him up to 25 ppg. With him being used more in PnR situations he'll have more FT attempts - I'm not saying he'll average 10 FT's a game, but if he makes 5 more FT's a game, that puts him close to 30 ppg.

No, all of this will not happen, there are too many good players around him this year, but just based on his past efficiency numbers, it's not entirely out of the realm of possibilities. So yeah, MIP is definitely in the cards, but if he averages 30 and 12, MVP would be on the table.

There are only a handful of Cs who even have over 5 FTAs, or much more than 5, so him making about 5 additional free throws is a stretch. If he could just get to 5 FTA that would be great.

Only 5 players listed as Cs avg over 5 FTA a game....Drummond at 5.2, Harrell at 5.6, Gobert at 5.9, Towns at 6.5 and Embiid at 8.5.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2020_per_game.html

You missed Porzingis, right at 5 FTA, he's also the only C on the list averaging 4 FTM, and that list also has 6-8" 260lb LBJ as a PG, but whatever. And I get your point, my entire post was hypothetical and was meant to show DA's potential, and that potential puts him well beyond MIP category just on offensive numbers....his defensive potential is harder to quantify (just like with Booker) when there are actual NBA players playing on the floor with him.

[bwgood77]

If DA adds only one made 3 per game over last year, he'll bump his scoring average to 21 ppg. With CP3 able to spoon-feed him on the PnR his attempts and made shots should also increase (especially after they've played more than 10 minutes together), an additional 2 made shots per game would bring him up to 25 ppg. With him being used more in PnR situations he'll have more FT attempts - I'm not saying he'll average 10 FT's a game, but if he makes 5 more FT's a game, that puts him close to 30 ppg.

No, all of this will not happen, there are too many good players around him this year, but just based on his past efficiency numbers, it's not entirely out of the realm of possibilities. So yeah, MIP is definitely in the cards, but if he averages 30 and 12, MVP would be on the table.

There are only a handful of Cs who even have over 5 FTAs, or much more than 5, so him making about 5 additional free throws is a stretch. If he could just get to 5 FTA that would be great.

Only 5 players listed as Cs avg over 5 FTA a game....Drummond at 5.2, Harrell at 5.6, Gobert at 5.9, Towns at 6.5 and Embiid at 8.5.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2020_per_game.html

You missed Porzingis, right at 5 FTA, he's also the only C on the list averaging 4 FTM, and that list also has 6-8" 260lb LBJ as a PG, but whatever. And I get your point, my entire post was hypothetical and was meant to show DA's potential, and that potential puts him well beyond MIP category just on offensive numbers....his defensive potential is harder to quantify (just like with Booker) when there are actual NBA players playing on the floor with him.

Yeah, I saw KP but I said "over 5" so I didn't count him.

[bwgood77]

If DA adds only one made 3 per game over last year, he'll bump his scoring average to 21 ppg. With CP3 able to spoon-feed him on the PnR his attempts and made shots should also increase (especially after they've played more than 10 minutes together), an additional 2 made shots per game would bring him up to 25 ppg. With him being used more in PnR situations he'll have more FT attempts - I'm not saying he'll average 10 FT's a game, but if he makes 5 more FT's a game, that puts him close to 30 ppg.

No, all of this will not happen, there are too many good players around him this year, but just based on his past efficiency numbers, it's not entirely out of the realm of possibilities. So yeah, MIP is definitely in the cards, but if he averages 30 and 12, MVP would be on the table.

There are only a handful of Cs who even have over 5 FTAs, or much more than 5, so him making about 5 additional free throws is a stretch. If he could just get to 5 FTA that would be great.

Only 5 players listed as Cs avg over 5 FTA a game....Drummond at 5.2, Harrell at 5.6, Gobert at 5.9, Towns at 6.5 and Embiid at 8.5.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2020_per_game.html

You missed Porzingis, right at 5 FTA, he's also the only C on the list averaging 4 FTM, and that list also has 6-8" 260lb LBJ as a PG, but whatever. And I get your point, my entire post was hypothetical and was meant to show DA's potential, and that potential puts him well beyond MIP category just on offensive numbers....his defensive potential is harder to quantify (just like with Booker) when there are actual NBA players playing on the floor with him.

Oddly enough, he made 5 free throws tonight, on 5 attempts. He forced at least one foul too when he would have scored eventually before we were in the penalty.

[cberry78]

There are only a handful of Cs who even have over 5 FTAs, or much more than 5, so him making about 5 additional free throws is a stretch. If he could just get to 5 FTA that would be great.

Only 5 players listed as Cs avg over 5 FTA a game....Drummond at 5.2, Harrell at 5.6, Gobert at 5.9, Towns at 6.5 and Embiid at 8.5.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2020_per_game.html

You missed Porzingis, right at 5 FTA, he's also the only C on the list averaging 4 FTM, and that list also has 6-8" 260lb LBJ as a PG, but whatever. And I get your point, my entire post was hypothetical and was meant to show DA's potential, and that potential puts him well beyond MIP category just on offensive numbers....his defensive potential is harder to quantify (just like with Booker) when there are actual NBA players playing on the floor with him.

Oddly enough, he made 5 free throws tonight, on 5 attempts. He forced at least one foul too when he would have scored eventually before we were in the penalty.

I was going to say the same thing.....but I'm sure he won't be able to keep that up the whole season.

Please prove me wrong DA!