Bam Adebayo may not be the best overall defensive big man in the NBA, but he’s the most switchable, a title Isaiah Stewart would like to claim for himself.
The Game Theory Podcast recently ranked their top 25 defenders in the NBA, and while Isaiah Stewart didn’t make the cut, he was an honorable mention, let down by the fact that he’s not a starter and played only 20 minutes per game, which seems fair.
Adebayo came in 7th, mostly because of his defensive versatility and ability to switch on any player 1-5, which allows Miami to play any type of defense it wants and keeps opponents unsure of the best way to attack.
Most fans have focused on Isaiah Stewart’s shooting as his best opportunity to raise his ceiling as a player, but he also needs to continue to be switchable on the perimeter, a trait that could help elevate the Pistons to a top five defense.
Isaiah Stewart: Switching on the perimeter
Being able to defend perimeter players is a coveted big-man trait in the modern NBA, as offenses are constantly trying to exploit mismatches, which is far easier to do when your big man always falls into drop coverage.
Big men who can blitz and hedge screens or switch onto a smaller player without giving up too much make it harder for offenses to create space and hunt mismatches.
Isaiah Stewart has already shown the ability to do this though he gets far more attention as a rim protector. If you watch these highlights, you’ll see a player who is comfortable moving his feet on the perimeter and staying in front of smaller guys.
You can see both Philly and Boston try to attack Stewart off switches, but were unable to get around him, which allowed the rest of the Pistons’ defenders to stay at home, forcing the ballhandler into a tough, contested shot.
Even if big men can slow the smaller player down, it usually forces him to give up the ball later in the shot clock, which again, can create tough shots.
Adebayo is currently better at this than every other big in the league, and according to Sam Vecenie, it’s by a wide margin, but it’s a skill Stewart also possesses. Adebayo made the All-Defensive team five straight times before last season, so Stewart has a long way to go, but if he plays more next season, he could close the gap for the title of “most switchable big.”