As one of best defensive players of his generation, Gary Payton knows what it takes to thrive on that end of the floor.
In one of the tightest races for defensive player of the year in quite some time, the nine-time All-Star told The Associated Press that he is leaning toward Golden State’s Draymond Green ever so slightly over San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard.
“I would rather both of them win. But I think Draymond has done a great job of helping Golden State endure the changes that they’ve had,” said Payton, who does not have an official vote. “He’s been stepping up and making a lot of big plays. Not that Kawhi hasn’t been doing that, but I think Draymond really deserves to win defensive player of the year.”
The winner will not be announced until the NBA’s first awards show after the Finals. But Green, Leonard and Utah’s Rudy Gobert are the three main candidates. Green and Leonard will both be in action during the playoffs on Saturday, with the Warriors trying to take a 3-0 lead over the Portland Trail Blazers and Leonard’s Spurs hoping to bounce back from a Game 3 loss in Memphis on Thursday night.
Payton grew up in Oakland, the city that Green calls home with the Warriors. The outspoken stars also host an internet trash talking show, but Payton said he would never play favorites when making his decision.
He lauded Leonard, the two-time defending winner.
“He guards all the best players,” Payton said. “He can hawk the ball. He’s so long, that he can steal the ball from you one-on-one up top and makes the player he’s defending get rid of the ball.”
But he said Green gets the slight edge because his performance has also helped Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson become better defenders.
“He changed the Golden State tone this year,” Payton said. “He’s a bigger presence on his team and he deserves it.”