How Good Can Walker/Hendricks Be Defensively?

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I'm guessing we'll still be pretty bad. Jumping to 20th best in the league would a huge (and, for me, highly encouraging) jump.

I'm saying this in large part because I think a lot of great defense (except for the true defensive freaks) depends on both individual experience and collective experience together. We'll still be at a huge deficit in both. Last year we had Dunn and THT (who was as least competent) playing real minutes at times in the backcourt, but we still had basically no chance defensively, aside from that one midseason run where everything seemed to coalesce and we were playing mostly bad/diminished teams.

If we make a defensive jump with this group, I'm expecting it to be 2025-6.

Individually, I think Hendricks is still a bit too raw to really produce great defense consistently, though hopefully by the end of the year, that's beginning to change.

The defense will have to improve as a team, not individuals.

 

[HermanG]

Am I remembering correctly that they were literally the worst defense in the entire NBA?

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One of the worst defenses in the history of the NBA.

That is unfair though, as average points scored has gone up past 5 years to so high that new bests/worsts are set quite often on those metrics.

 

[KqWIN]

I think the best argument as to why we will improve on defense is that it's simply hard to be that bad two years in a row. Whoever is 30th was likely bad, but also intentionally bad and "unlucky". I think we'll probably be like 25th.

 

[fishonjazz]

One of the worst defenses in the history of the NBA.

That is unfair though, as average points scored has gone up past 5 years to so high that new bests/worsts are set quite often on those metrics.

Ya I'm not talking about history since a team from the 80's vs today is apples to oranges

Were they the worst defensive team in the NBA last season though?

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[KqWIN]

Saw this tool twitter, found it kind of interesting. It's a quick model that predict's a lineup's defensive rating percentile in comparison to every lineup over the last 5 seasons.

Methodology is also on the site. I found it interesting that forwards appear to be the most important.

<h1 align="center">NBA Lineup Defensive Predictor</h1>

 

[SoberasHotRod]

Saw this tool twitter, found it kind of interesting. It's a quick model that predict's a lineup's defensive rating percentile in comparison to every lineup over the last 5 seasons.

Methodology is also on the site. I found it interesting that forwards appear to be the most important.

<h1 align="center">NBA Lineup Defensive Predictor</h1>

View attachment 17103

Pretty fun. If we're really going to be a middle of the road defensive team next year, we won't be a bottom 5 team. Of course this doesn't have rookies so we can't see what our bench units might look like.

I put my starting lineup for my team from the draft and got a 91%.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

Pretty fun. If we're really going to be a middle of the road defensive team next year, we won't be a bottom 5 team. Of course this doesn't have rookies so we can't see what our bench units might look like.

I put my starting lineup for my team from the draft and got a 91%.

The Celtics starting lineup last year was at 72% for comparison.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

What do we think made Keyonte such a bad defensive player last season? Is it fixable? Or is it always going to be that way?

 

[KqWIN]

Pretty fun. If we're really going to be a middle of the road defensive team next year, we won't be a bottom 5 team. Of course this doesn't have rookies so we can't see what our bench units might look like.

I put my starting lineup for my team from the draft and got a 91%.

Should be noted…starting lineups should be well above 50th percentile when being compared to all lineups.

 

[KqWIN]

What do we think made Keyonte such a bad defensive player last season? Is it fixable? Or is it always going to be that way?

I thought his defense was over hated coming out of Baylor….but every concern about his defense was on full display. I don’t think he’s physically limited as a defender….but his mentality and instincts are awful. I think the freedom he gets on offense + Hardy not being concerned with defense makes it unlikely he’ll ever be good and probably not average either.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

What do we think made Keyonte such a bad defensive player last season? Is it fixable? Or is it always going to be that way?

Good question. I think it was mostly inconsistent effort, so fixable to the point of not being terrible, but I'm not sure if he'll ever be average or better.

 

[jazznik]

Is there any chance the Jazz's projected starting lineup is an average or better defensive lineup?

What makes you think that the Jazz WANT to be average or better defensively? Coach Hardy does not want to be good defensively: he shoved two best defenders, Kessler and Dunn, into the limited-minutes backups and never disciplined rookies (Keyonte and Brice) for not even trying to give an effort on defense. Ainge also has no interest in defense: he traded away Fontecchio, let Dunn walk away and signed a defensive sieve Mills. He also consistently drafts players who are bad defenders like Keyonte, Brice or Filipowski.

The Jazz have not become a horrible defensive team by accident: it was the result of concerted efforts by the front office and the coach. Young Jazz players are brought up in the environment where the defense clearly does not matter and they are taking it to heart. The Jazz will not become an average defensive team in the foreseeable future.