Paul Millsap: NBA All-Defensive Team in 2016?

Paul Millsap was one of 10 NBA players last season to finish with a sub-100 Defensive Rating (99.2, 9th in the NBA). Though he was on the outside looking in for 2014-15, can Paul Millsap make either NBA All-Defensive Team in 2015-16?

For as much as former Atlanta Hawk SF DeMarre Carroll gained notoriety for his strong defensive prowess, advanced statistics show that PF Paul Millsap was actually the best defender on the 2014-15 Atlanta Hawks. Millsap finished 9th in the NBA in Defensive Rating (99.2), 7th in Defensive Win Shares (4.3) and 9th in Steals Per Game (1.8), as a Power Forward nonetheless!

Much praise has gone Paul Millsap’s way for his improved offensive game since joining the Atlanta Hawks before the start of the 2013-14 NBA Season. However, it seems like it’s his defense that makes him so valuable for the Atlanta Hawks.

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HC Mike Budenholzer couldn’t let his All-Star PF that averages nearly two steals a game skip town via agency. So Bud locked Paul down for the next few seasons with a 3-year deal, worth about $60 Million. This new contract of Paul Millsap will make him the highest paid member of the 2015-16 Atlanta Hawks.

While Paul Millsap earned his second trip to the NBA All-Star Game in 2015, I was moderately disappointed that he, or any of his teammates, didn’t make any of the three All-NBA teams. In reality, I should have been more upset that he didn’t make either All-NBA Defensive Team. How does the 9th best defensive player in the Association, statistically, not make either All-Defensive Team?

Again, the problem lies with the position Paul Millsap plays for the Atlanta Hawks: power forward. So I can’t honestly complain about the four forwards that made both squads ahead of him in 2014-15 all that much: Kawhi Leonard, Draymond Green, Tim Duncan and Anthony Davis.

Both Leonard and Green are obvious 1st Teamers with Defensive Ratings of 96.4 and 97.2, 1st and 4th in the NBA respectively. Even the ageless-wonder that is Tim Duncan finished 3rd in DRTG in 2014-15 with a 96.9. It sounds a little crazy, but Paul Millsap got bamboozled for the 4th All-Defensive Forward spot by Anthony Davis, who finished 12th in the NBA with a 100.2 Defensive Rating, a full point worse than Millsap.

Where I believe that Paul Millsap has the advantage to make an All-Defensive in 2015-16 is that his main competitors are possibly changing positions. It is likely that both Duncan and Davis could spend more time at center this upcoming season. Duncan most certainly will now that PF LaMarcus Aldridge is in the Alamo City playing for the San Antonio Spurs.

While LA is happy to now play in his home state of Texas, he is still reluctant to play center during the prime of his career. The Big Fundamental is the ultimate team player and will gladly move to the five, even on one good leg, after former Spurs C Tiago Splitter went to Atlanta in a trade during the initial wave of free agency this past summer.

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Davis’ move to the five isn’t as obvious as Duncan’s, but it may happen if the new HC of the New Orleans Pelicans Alvin Gentry opts to improve his team defensively by going small. That would mean The Brow would have to play the five and C Omer Asik might be on the trading block down in the Crescent City.

With both Tim Duncan and Anthony Davis possibly playing more at the five in 2015-16, Paul Millsap’s chances to make an All-Defensive Team as a forward increase drastically. Assuming Millsap can keep up his sneaky-good pick pocketing abilities at power forward and LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, or Zach Randolph don’t usurp him in defensive metrics, I like Paul Millsap to make the All-NBA Defensive Second Team in 2015-16.

Next: Mike Budenholzer: Where Can He Improve in 2016?

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