{"id":347598,"date":"2025-10-17T15:30:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T15:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/347598\/"},"modified":"2025-10-17T15:30:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T15:30:13","slug":"ranking-every-nba-teams-defense-entering-2025-26-season-thunder-clear-no-1-spurs-ready-for-huge-leap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/347598\/","title":{"rendered":"Ranking every NBA team’s defense entering 2025-26 season: Thunder clear No. 1, Spurs ready for huge leap"},"content":{"rendered":"

If I asked you to name the top five defenses in the NBA<\/a> after the All-Star break last season, you’d probably guess the Warriors<\/a>, Magic<\/a> and Thunder<\/a> pretty quickly. The other two? The lottery-bound Raptors<\/a> and Trail Blazers<\/a>. Perhaps we should have seen Indiana’s trip to the NBA<\/a> Finals coming, because they ranked eighth in post-break defense, and were neck-and-neck with the Clippers<\/a>, who were lauded for their defensive improvement last season. Change the parameters slightly and the Pistons<\/a> were a top-five defense from Jan. 1 through the end of the season. <\/p>\n

So, are we witnessing a changing of the guard when it comes to elite NBA<\/a> defense? Or are we having fun with smaller samples and weak schedules? The answer is going to vary on a case-by-case basis. There are very few teams we can say with much certainty will be great defensively this season. You can trust the Thunder. You can trust the Magic. It starts to get harder from there. <\/p>\n

So after recently ranking the NBA’s<\/a> offenses, it’s our turn to rank the defenses. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Ranking every NBA team’s offense entering 2025-26 season: Nuggets on top, Knicks and Lakers in top five<\/p>\n

\n Sam Quinn <\/p>\n

\"Ranking<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

As a reminder, we are not ranking these defenses on how good they will be at their best. We are attempting to figure out how the defensive rating leaderboard will look at the end of the season. That means that everything from likelihood of injuries to lineup decisions to age-related improvement and decline will be considered. <\/p>\n

So with all of that in mind, let’s jump into this year’s defense rankings. <\/p>\n

1. Oklahoma City Thunder 2024-25 defensive rating: 106.62024-25 defensive ranking: No. 1<\/p>\n

Last season, the Thunder generated more turnovers than any other team, held opponents to the lowest field goal percentage and lowest 3-point percentage in the league, and they blocked more shots than every other team except the Magic. What more do you want from the Thunder? They had two players make the All-Defensive team last season, another two garner votes, and you could argue that their three best defenders (Alex Caruso<\/a>, Chet Holmgren<\/a> and Isaiah Hartenstein<\/a>) were all ineligible for playing fewer than 65 games. This isn’t just the best defense in the NBA<\/a>. It’s one of the best defenses of all time. <\/p>\n

2. Orlando Magic 2024-25 defensive rating: 109.12024-25 defensive ranking: No. 2<\/p>\n

Should you be worried about Jalen Suggs<\/a>‘ knee? Maybe a little, but the Magic had the NBA’s<\/a> second-best defense last season despite him playing only 35 games. In fact, every Orlando starter except for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope<\/a>, who is now a member of the Grizzlies, missed at least 22 games last season. If they were that good with all of those injuries, it’s safe to assume that Orlando’s defensive dominance is structural rather than being tied to a single player. They weren’t quite as good as the Thunder a year ago, but they were the best defensive playmaking team in the non-potential dynasty division, leading the league in blocks and finishing second in defensive turnovers generated while also ranking sixth in defensive rebounding rate. They’re enormous, they’re physical and they’re deep. Everyone here defends, and after back-to-back top-three finishes, the Magic should be a mainstay atop lists like this. <\/p>\n

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2024-25 defensive rating: 111.82024-25 defensive ranking: No. 8<\/p>\n

Cleveland’s defense dipped slightly last year as its offense exploded. Expect it to jump back into the top five this year. The offseason additions all bring necessary ingredients to the table. They didn’t have a point-of-attack guard to throw at opposing stars. Now they do in Lonzo Ball<\/a>. Larry Nance Jr<\/a>. brings a bit more small-ball versatility to their frontcourt depth. Even second-year pro Jaylon Tyson<\/a> is getting some buzz out of camp as an athletic, defensive wing. Pair those new additions with the stellar big pairing of Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley<\/a> and the perpetually underappreciated Jarrett Allen<\/a>, which just allowed the lowest restricted area field goal percentage outside of Oklahoma City, and you’ve got a recipe for a great defense. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 110.32024-25 defensive ranking: No. 5<\/p>\n

The questions here are minimal, but they exist. Will Reed Sheppard be a liability at his size? They have to play him for offensive purposes. He was a great defensive playmaker in college, but the NBA<\/a> is more aggressive about punishing mismatches. Will their culture suffer without Dillon Brooks<\/a> and Fred VanVleet<\/a>, both of whom were great defenders last season? Potentially. But this team is still loaded with giant athletes. Amen Thompson<\/a> might be the best perimeter defender in the NBA<\/a>. Dorian Finney-Smith<\/a> practically saved the Lakers defensively a year ago and he likely won’t even start. They paid Jabari Smith<\/a>, and could lock up Tari Eason<\/a> as well. That much ball pressure paired with the jumbo two-center lineups they frequently use for rim-protection is going to create an unsurprising defensive behemoth. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 116.32024-25 defensive ranking: No. 25<\/p>\n

It’s time. Victor Wembanyama’s<\/a> reign as the perpetual Defensive Player of the Year should begin this season. The Spurs allowed only 110 points per 100 possessions last season with Wembanyama on the court, a figure that would have placed them above Houston as the No. 5 defense. The problems arose when he was out, but the signing of Luke Kornet<\/a>, one of the most underrated per-minute defenders in basketball, should address that. Carter Bryant<\/a> has a ways to go offensively, but he should be a defensive menace from the start. That has more or less been the story of Jeremy Sochan’s<\/a> career, and to a lesser extent Stephon Castle’s<\/a>, though mostly as a shooter and not an overall offensive player. The Spurs practically never fouled last season, so one source of free points was minimized. If you’re a Spurs skeptic this season, it should be on offense. The defense should be very, very good. <\/p>\n

6. Detroit Pistons 2024-25 defensive rating: 112.52024-25 defensive ranking: No. 10<\/p>\n

If you have a Thompson twin, odds are your defense is going to be pretty good. Of course, Detroit has far more in its favor than just a single, gifted wing. Isaiah Stewart<\/a> and hopefully another step from Jalen Duren<\/a> would give Detroit a very imposing frontcourt. There’s a feistiness here, too. It seems like somebody, often Ron Holland<\/a>, is getting into it with an opponent almost every night. That works in both directions, as the Pistons are one of the most foul-happy teams in the NBA<\/a>. Of course, it’s worth noting that the Thunder and Magic are too. In some cases, that’s the cost of doing business. The Pistons have built a defense-first culture that makes them a nightmare to play against.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

7. Portland Trail Blazers 2024-25 defensive rating: 113.72024-25 defensive ranking: No. 16<\/p>\n

There are great defenders up and down this roster, and last year’s late-season surge was evidence of a sustainable defensive competitor. Donovan Clingan<\/a> was great in a lower-minutes role last season and should only help the defense as a full-time starter. The perimeter is loaded. Yes, Jrue Holiday<\/a> is probably best served covering forwards now as he’s aged, but with Deni Avdija<\/a> and Toumani Camara<\/a> in place, that’s not an issue. The question is how the Blazers balance winning this year and developing for the long haul. Who gets more backup center minutes, Yang Hansen<\/a> or Robert Williams III<\/a>? Because the former is in the organization’s best long-term interests, but also probably leads to some early growing pains that hurt the overall team performance. The offense needs either Shaedon Sharpe<\/a> or Scoot Henderson<\/a> to break out. How do their defensive limitations affect the team? The Blazers were a stellar defensive team down the stretch last season. They should be quite good again this year. Exactly how good will depend on how they balance the present and the future. <\/p>\n

8. Golden State Warriors 2024-25 defensive rating: 1112024-25 defensive ranking: No. 7<\/p>\n

The Warriors were the best defense in the NBA<\/a> after the All-Star Break, and adding Al Horford<\/a> only makes them better. So why have they slipped to No. 8 here? Because they’re old, and they’re inevitably going to deal with injuries and decline. They’re also a bit short-handed against fast guards. Gary Payton II<\/a> isn’t as quick as he was when the Warriors won it all in 2022. De’Anthony Melton<\/a> is coming off of an ACL tear. Moses Moody<\/a> is fine, but their trust in him seems minimal after the playoffs. But when you have Horford at center and Draymond Green<\/a> at power forward, that opens up schematic opportunities that just aren’t available to other teams. They can and will switch more than basically anyone. Plus, they always rebound better than you think given their lack of size. <\/p>\n

9. Los Angeles Clippers 2024-25 defensive rating: 109.42024-25 defensive ranking: No. 3<\/p>\n

The Clippers made a concerted choice to balance their roster this offseason. They got deeper by adding Bradley Beal<\/a>, Chris Paul<\/a> and John Collins<\/a>, and that will make them better offensively. It will probably also lead to a bit of defensive slippage because it will make minutes a bit harder to come by for players like Derrick Jones Jr<\/a>. and Kris Dunn<\/a>. They won’t fall too far, though, because in addition to still having those players, the Brook Lopez<\/a> signing finally gives them a real backup center. Lopez is fairly one-dimensional at this point, but if you just need someone to stand in front of the basket, he’s still your man. Like the Warriors, there’s age- and injury-related risk here, and the Kawhi Leonard<\/a> investigation has the potential to be a season-long distraction. But the Clippers were among the best defenses in the NBA last season and should be good again this year. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 1122024-25 defensive ranking: No. 9<\/p>\n

Bam Adebayo<\/a> is perpetually underrated. If the Heat lean into double-big lineups with him and Kel’El Ware<\/a>, they’re going to be very imposing at the basket. Andrew Wiggins<\/a> and Davion Mitchell<\/a> comprise a solid combination to throw at opposing guards, and this is still an Erik Spoelstra-coached team, so you can trust that the adjustments will be smart and the conditioning will be impeccable. The question here is balance between offense and defense. When Tyler Herro<\/a> is healthy, he’s going to be on the floor basically all of the time. That’s a major blow to any defense. That’s not quite as true of other role players like Norm Powell and Nikola Jovi\u0107, but they certainly lean offense on that spectrum. The other cause for concern here: The Heat used to be among the most consistent turnover-generators in the NBA. They were in the top five from 2021 through 2023, and that was their calling card during the LeBron James<\/a> era. But they’ve been below-average two years in a row. Tighten that up and we’re talking about one of the league’s best defenses. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 113.32024-25 defensive ranking: No. 13<\/p>\n

There are two obvious reasons the Knicks should be slightly better defensively than they were a year ago. The first is shooting luck. Only the Kings and 76ers allowed a higher percentage of made wide-open 3s last season. Remember, these are wide-open 3s, so percentage, in most cases, is out of the defense’s control. The Knicks allowed the fifth-fewest attempts of such shots last season, but the ones that snuck through went in almost 41% of the time. The other point in their favor? Hopefully more Mitchell Robinson<\/a>, who may even start for the Knicks this season after missing most of last year. There’s a ceiling baked into a team with Jalen Brunson<\/a> and Karl-Anthony Towns<\/a> getting major minutes, but just about everything else here is going to work. Mike Brown teams always overperform defensively, and if he takes Mikal Bridges<\/a> off the ball more as he’s hinted, that should help the Knicks generate more turnovers. They’ll be a good, but not great, defense this year. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 110.82024-25 defensive ranking: No. 6<\/p>\n

This might feel a bit low given the personnel, but think of where this team lies on the aging curve. Rudy Gobert<\/a> is now 33, and plenty of metrics indicated some measure of decline last season. Meanwhile, Nickeil Alexander-Walker<\/a> is gone and the Wolves are relying on a lot of young players (Rob Dillingham<\/a>, Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaylen Clark<\/a>) to step in and take over for him. Mike Conley<\/a> is ancient by NBA standards. This isn’t an all-out transition year for Minnesota. The Timberwolves expect to be good. But the roster is in somewhat of a state of flux at the moment. They won’t have their current roster in another year or two, especially after giving out huge contracts to Naz Reid<\/a> and Julius Randle<\/a>. They also benefitted from the best luck on opposing wide-open 3-point percentage last season. They were technically tied with the Thunder on that front, but, well, watch the Thunder for a game and you understand why. They rush opposing shooters in ways nobody else does. For everyone else, as we covered with the Knicks, wide-open shooting numbers are somewhat random. If Minnesota dips there, their defense will still be pretty good, but will probably take a step back. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 1152024-25 defensive ranking: No. 20<\/p>\n

Nico Harrison, time and time again, has defended his roster construction by saying “defense wins championships.” Except, the roster philosophy here is based less on defense than it is on size. The Mavericks are enormous, and they’re going to do a great job of protecting the basket. Yet they don’t have a point-of-attack defender to throw at opposing guards anywhere near as reliable as Derrick Jones Jr. — who helped them reach the 2024 Finals — unless Cooper Flagg<\/a> is going to defend point guards. That seems suboptimal. The threat of an Anthony Davis<\/a> injury also always looms here. D’Angelo Russell<\/a> has always been a poor defender. Klay Thompson<\/a> was once a great one, but at this point, he can only really defend slower forwards. The roster imbalance just looms too large. They’re going to be good on defense because there is inherent value in just being enormous, but that alone only gets you so far. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 112.62024-25 defensive ranking: No. 11<\/p>\n

The Grizzlies are certainly building toward a defensive menace, and they’ve obviously been one in the past. Trading up for Cedric Coward<\/a> gives them someone they hope can be their long-term small forward, which in turn opens the door for Jaylen Wells<\/a> to play shooting guard, his natural position. That should be a strong wing combination moving forward, and Jaren Jackson Jr<\/a>. is a former Defensive Player of the Year at power forward. The depth is solid as always in Memphis, but their frontcourt has already been decimated by injuries and the wings are still so inexperienced. Ja Morant<\/a> is a poor defender, but obviously has to play to keep the offense afloat. We also know so little about what new coach Tuomas Iisalo will want to do schematically that it’s hard to say anything too definitive, though by putting Zach Edey<\/a> on Jimmy Butler<\/a> in a Play-In Game last year, he showed an unorthodox streak that should serve him well. The bones of another great Memphis defense exist. It’s just probably going to take another year for all of it to click into place. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 114.82024-25 defensive ranking: No. 18<\/p>\n

If this is indeed where Atlanta ultimately ranks, it would be the first above-average defense Trae Young<\/a> has ever played on. That should tell you the difficulty that comes with building a defense around him. He and Luke Kennard<\/a> are the only major liabilities here, but they’re significant ones. The seemingly endless wing depth will go a long way toward working around those weak links, and their newfound frontcourt opens up new schematic possibilities. They can play switch-heavier groups with Onyeka Okongwu<\/a>, but also protect the rim more traditionally with the enormous Kristaps Porzi\u0146\u0123is. That versatility has value, though health for both Porzi\u0146\u0123is and Jalen Johnson<\/a> is always a question mark. There’s room to go higher here, but for now, this is still a team that leans more towards offense than defense. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 115.12024-25 defensive ranking: No. 21<\/p>\n

Denver’s defense is always somewhat limited by Nikola Joki\u0107’s flaws. There’s only so much you can do when your center isn’t really a rim-protector. Having Aaron Gordon<\/a> goes a long way on that front, and David Adelman showed some very valuable creativity in the playoffs when he stifled the Thunder with a zone, but this team is still very much an offense first, second and third. That being said, effort was a major problem last season, so if Adelman fixes that, it’s going to go a long way on its own. Having Bruce Brown<\/a> back is nice as well. The Nuggets will probably never be a consistently great defense, but even though Joki\u0107 has his flaws, he also has virtues. He’s a stellar rebounder, he’s always in the right place, and he’s a great communicator. That won’t make the Nuggets an elite defense. It will make them good enough to survive while their dominant offense does the heavy lifting. <\/p>\n

17. Toronto Raptors 2024-25 defensive rating: 113.62024-25 defensive ranking: No. 15<\/p>\n

They were great down the stretch last season, but against a weak schedule. There are a ton of interesting younger players here. Jamal Shead<\/a> is so aggressive it’s almost surprising he doesn’t play for the Thunder, and Collin Murray-Boyles<\/a> figures to be an extremely versatile frontcourt defender. But the starters outside of Scottie Barnes<\/a> are iffier. Jakob Poeltl<\/a> has declined meaningfully since his San Antonio peak and the Raptors don’t seem to have noticed with the contracts they keep giving him. Brandon Ingram<\/a> hasn’t played consistent defense since he was a Laker. Immanuel Quickley<\/a> defended well as a Knick, but that’s harder in a high-usage role as a starting point guard. None of last year’s numbers mean all that much in light of the injuries they played through. You’re evaluating the players alone here, and for the most part they’re middling. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 113.82024-25 defensive ranking: No. 17<\/p>\n

The LeBron James injury is scary on both ends of the floor, but likely more meaningful defensively. For all of the flak he gets for his defensive effort, he was solid from January on last season and when needed, he was far better than that. Removing him removes not only one of the few players with plus-defensive potential, but one of the best communicators and on-court adjusters in the NBA. What you’re betting on if you think the Lakers will avoid the bottom-10 defensively is organizational competence. JJ Redick<\/a> had an extremely promising debut campaign, especially on defense. They’ll play hard, and many of the players have a lot to prove. Luka Don\u010di\u0107 is in shape and ready to push back on narratives. Deandre Ayton<\/a> and Marcus Smart<\/a> are in contract years. Jarred Vanderbilt<\/a> needs to prove his health. Are they going to be great? No. But if you’re not actively tanking and are running an otherwise tight ship, you should probably be able to sneak reasonably close to average on defense. There was certainly some shooting luck involved in this, but they were a top-10 defense from the middle of January to the end of last season. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 113.32024-25 defensive ranking: No. 14<\/p>\n

I’m slightly more optimistic about Indiana defensively than I am offensively. What they lost in Tyrese Haliburton<\/a> and Myles Turner<\/a> should mean more offensively. Haliburton is obviously a defensive negative and Turner has regressed meaningfully over the last few years. They’ve shown a willingness to go extreme in terms of scheme when personnel demands it, like in 2024 when they willingly conceded the rim to allow the fewest 3-pointers in the league. Aaron Nesmith<\/a>, Andrew Nembhard<\/a> and Pascal Siakam<\/a> remain high-level defenders. If you’re a Jarace Walker<\/a> believer, he’ll get his chance this year as a defensive-minded power forward who will have to play some center. Speaking of centers, the Jay Huff<\/a> bandwagon is growing by the day. The potential for injuries or a midseason pivot into tanking limits the upside here, but the Pacers should be able to at least maintain defensive competence. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 117.32024-25 defensive ranking: No. 26<\/p>\n

There’s the happy version of this story, in which Joel Embiid<\/a> and Paul George<\/a> play 60 or 70 games and the defense is above average. There’s the miserable version of this story that played out last year, in which they’re both constantly injured and the defense is terrible. This is the middle-ground choice, one that leans towards below-average, but allows for some degree of competence. Defensive creativity has always been a Nick Nurse specialty, and while the roster certainly skews towards offense (especially in the backcourt), there’s just enough in the frontcourt for them to be respectable so long as they don’t spend another year in injury hell. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 112.72024-25 defensive ranking: No. 21<\/p>\n

If you believe in Milwaukee’s defense, you believe in two players. The Bucks will ostensibly protect the rim well when Giannis Antetokounmpo<\/a> and Myles Turner are on the floor. There is basically nothing behind them defensively. If either of those players go to the bench, the defense drops. If either of them misses games, the defense drops. If Antetokounmpo requests a trade, the defense drops. If either of them decline as players? The defense drops, and there’s a real argument that both already have. Turner led the NBA in block rate in 2021 at 8.8%, and that dropped to 6% last year. Antetokounmpo contested 9.3 shots per game when he won Defensive Player of the Year in 2020. He was down to 5.4 last season. You could find a handful of other numbers to support the thesis that while they remain effective defenders, they are hardly the elite anchors they once were. Meanwhile the Bucks have nothing at the point of attack. They never generated turnovers last season. They were only average in transition defense despite sacrificing any semblance of offensive rebounding to get there. So really, this is just a belief in two players that may not warrant that belief anymore. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 110.12024-25 defensive rank: No. 4<\/p>\n

Boston should structurally be able to maintain a solid offense even in this gap year off of shot selection and IQ alone. Defense is another story. While Derrick White<\/a> and Jaylen Brown<\/a> are both high-level defenders, they are better as cogs in an elite machine than players who would be expected to carry a unit. White is a better help defender and playmaker than straight-up man defender. There’s no frontcourt to speak of here at all. Compare that to the past two years, in which Jayson Tatum<\/a> could feasibly guard any forward or center in the league, Al Horford unlocked switch-everything lineups and Kristaps Porzi\u0146\u0123is gave them a traditional, enormous rim-protector and the contrast will be felt starkly from opening night. They never generated turnovers as it was. Jrue Holiday may not be at his peak self anymore, but losing him — if only for communication and know-how — is a blow. This is a different team, one that might be tanking by Christmas. If it survives, it will be on offense. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 117.72024-25 defensive ranking: No. 27<\/p>\n

We’ve reached the “do they have a couple of good players and the potential for a solid culture?” section of the list here. The Suns were a bad defense last season. They added Dillon Brooks, hired a new coach, and hopefully won’t spend this season wallowing in the misery of their failed superteam. That’s enough to get bumped a few spots, but not enough to qualify as, well, good. Phoenix has talked a big game about rebuilding around grit and athleticism, and they’ve certainly taken steps in that direction, but this is going to be a multi-year endeavor at best that isn’t going to pay immediate dividends. The long-term hope is that Mark Williams<\/a> and\/or Khaman Maluach<\/a> grow into viable defensive anchors, but they both have a long way to go. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 119.12024-25 defensive ranking: No. 29<\/p>\n

There might not be a better non-center defensive floor-raiser than Herbert Jones. He can truly defend — not just switch onto — all five positions. That opens schematic doors that aren’t really available to other teams. Of course, other teams would have far more to surround him with than the Pelicans do. The only other reliable defender here is Jose Alvarado<\/a>, and there’s only so much you can do when you’re generously listed at 6 feet tall. They have two rookies, neither of whom were drafted for defense, ostensibly playing major roles. Their mid-level center addition, Kevon Looney<\/a>, is already set to miss the beginning of the season. Oh, and Jones only played 20 games last season, so his health is a bit of a question mark as well. Not a great way for Willie Green to kick off what is almost certainly a make-or-break season. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 115.42024-25 defensive ranking: No. 23<\/p>\n

How many games does Nic Claxton play? As players go, he’s really where this defense begins and ends. The Nets are doing everything in their power to maximize the 2026 first-rounder they traded a premium to get back from Houston, so odds are, any hint of competitiveness here will be snuffed out on the trade market. What the Nets likely can’t control is the reality that they have one of the NBA’s best young coaches. Jordi Fernandez managed to coax a passable defense out of a tanking roster last season. This year’s team is far worse, but to some extent, defense really is just about playing hard and doing the basics. Last year suggested that Fernandez’s team is going to do that better than other tankers. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 119.42024-25 defensive ranking: No. 30<\/p>\n

Walker Kessler<\/a>. End of list. That’s really it. Utah is the last of the “yeah, but they have one awesome defender” teams on the list, and after years of, let’s say, spotty player attendance at the end of the season, new lead basketball executive Austin Ainge says the Jazz won’t be manipulating Kessler’s appearances at the end of the season for the sake of draft order. Of course, they’ve already gutted the entire roster, so there really won’t be much need to sit anyone who’s still here. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 115.32024-25 defensive ranking: No. 22<\/p>\n

Does someone in Sacramento have a grudge against Keon Ellis<\/a>? After emerging as a defensive menace in 2023, Mike Brown made the bizarre decision not to start him (and barely use him) early last season. That may have contributed to his firing. Now, the Kings keep adding famous older guards for reasons that remain unclear rather than simply using the awesome 3-and-D role player they have at home. The cherry on top? The Kings could have declined a team option on Ellis last summer, made him a restricted free agent, and re-signed him at a discount. Instead, they kept him for pennies this year … but allowed him to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Considering he’s the only healthy King that does much of anything on defense now that Keegan Murray<\/a> is injured, it should be a pretty bleak defensive season in Sacramento. Brown always got his teams to overperform defensively dating back to Cleveland. Without him, a team with no rim-protectors and a bunch of washed former All-Stars isn’t going to get stops. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 1182024-25 defensive ranking: No. 28<\/p>\n

They play hard, at least! They’re athletic! The outline of a defense that will eventually be pretty good is here. You see glimpses in Alex Sarr<\/a> and Bilal Coulibaly<\/a>. They were genuinely frisky down the stretch and are starting to develop decent habits. But there are just no defensive-minded veterans here to help lead the way. There are obvious exceptions to the “young teams struggle defensively” axiom, most notably the Thunder, but for the most part, younger teams just don’t have the knowledge yet to consistently get stops. The young guys will learn from their reps and be solid in a few years. They’re just too early in the rebuild to have anything but a mess of a defense. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 114.82024-25 defensive ranking: No. 19<\/p>\n

Once again, the Bulls did the thing where they traded an older player everyone agrees is actually good (Lonzo Ball now, Alex Caruso a year ago) for a former lottery pick that may be good but certainly hasn’t proven it yet (Isaac Okoro<\/a> now, Josh Giddey<\/a> a year ago). Maybe that bet pays off. For now, if you’re building your defense around Okoro without the Evan Mobley-Jarrett Allen infrastructure that made Cleveland work, you’re going to have a bad time. The only thing to get excited about defensively here is hopefully the continued development of Matas Buzelis<\/a>, who is athletic and smart enough to become a defensive difference-maker in the long run. But without consistent rim-protection or point-of-attack guards, this defense is going to be a disaster. A fun one, given the up-tempo style they employ offensively, but a disaster nonetheless. <\/p>\n

2024-25 defensive rating: 115.72024-25 defensive ranking: No. 24<\/p>\n

Their centers are a rookie (Ryan Kalkbrenner<\/a>) and someone coming off of a two-way deal (Moussa Diabat\u00e9). Are they promising? Sure. Kalkbrenner was a four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year. Charlotte defended far better last season when Diabat\u00e9 was on the floor. But asking them to carry a defensive backcourt featuring LaMelo Ball<\/a> and another rookie (Kon Knueppel<\/a>) is just an impossibly tall order. The only defensive-minded veteran here is Grant Williams<\/a>, who is recovering from a torn ACL. This team is young, tanking and very much still developing a culture. The players in place skew heavily towards offense. Check back in a couple of years when they’ve developed and the front office has had more time to surround them with role players. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If I asked you to name the top five defenses in the NBA after the All-Star break 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