Defensive Anchor
For the Washington Wizards to return to being a perennial playoff team, they need to turn things around on the defensive side of the ball. Their defensive rating of 113 was 19th in the NBA, but the best mark the Wizards have had in the last three years.
That won’t cut it for a team that wants to make some noise in the postseason, and Myles Turner would help turn things around.
Turner is arguably the best rim protector in the NBA today. He led the league with 3.4 blocks per game and altered numerous more shots every game. His excellent timing combined with great instincts makes him someone opponents do not even want to challenge at the rim.
While he sometimes struggles on the perimeter in pick-and-roll situations, his IQ is high enough to make up for it when players attack the rim out of those sets.
READ MORE: Predictions for Latest NBA Trade Rumors: Simmons, Siakam, Dragic, Lillard
The Wizards don’t have many above-average defenders on the perimeter, but Turner’s presence would help overcome that. Combined with Daniel Gafford, the Wizards would have two strong defenders at the middle to complement the rim-running, more offensive-minded Montrezl Harrell.
What Turner would do for the Wizards’ defense alone is enough reason to pursue him in a trade. He would transform them on that end of the court, covering up any shortcomings they have elsewhere defensively.
