KJ McDaniels Quickly Proving to Be Critical Part of Philadelphia 76ers' Rebuild
Don't look now, but the Philadelphia 76ers have quietly shot up the league's defensive ranks thanks to an influx of young length and dexterity that has thrived under the tutelage of head coach Brett Brown.
This newfound prosperity wouldn't be possible, though, without the contributions of second-round steal K.J. McDaniels. Selected with the 32nd pick in the 2014 draft, McDaniels and his tremendous defensive instincts have the Sixers ranked 11th in defensive efficiency (allowing 102.2 points per 100 possessions) following Tuesday's 91-87 win over the Miami Heat, according to NBA.com.
Prior to June's draft, it was well established that McDaniels had the potential to be an athletic terror at the next level, per DraftExpress' Mike Schmitz:
"McDaniels has outstanding physical attributes for a NBA prospect, standing 6-6, with an excellent frame, long arms, and arguably the best athleticism of any wing player in the draft not named Andrew Wiggins. He's as explosive a leaper as you'll find, being responsible for some of the most impressive highlight reel plays of the college season thus far.
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However, questions continued to linger. Namely, would McDaniels be able to channel those raw physical tools into effective forms of controlled one-on-one and help defense? And second, would his shaky jump shot prove to be a hindrance at the next level?
Over the Sixers' first 27 games, it's become abundantly clear that McDaniels has affected games the way few other wings can from a defensive standpoint.
In fact, his impact has been so profound that it may not be a stretch to label McDaniels a defensive linchpin at this early stage in his career.
So let's start with the rim protection.
Few 6'6'' players are required—or even expected—to protect the rim. Conventionally, those responsibilities are left to the bulkier and stronger 4s and 5s of the world.
But as opponents are quickly learning, a lurking McDaniels on the baseline is not to be reckoned with.
Just ask Toronto Raptors point guard Greivis Vasquez:
The ground McDaniels is capable of making up when he glides over from the weak side is staggering, and it can provide some of the Sixers' other defenders with a nice safety blanket when they need bailing out after allowing penetration to opposing ball-handlers.
McDaniels also has the speed necessary to make up ground in transition and alter what appear to be uncontested looks at the rim:
How much are these highlight-reel plays indicative of a significant statistical impact, you ask? Well, you might want to sit down if you're not already.
According to NBA.com, opponents defended by McDaniels are shooting 38.2 percent from the field, 7 percent worse than the league average of 45.2.
And while he's doing a steady job forcing opponents to shoot 3.4 percent worse than the league average from beyond the arc, McDaniels has been an absolute wrecking ball in the paint.
On an average of three shots defended per game, opponents are converting looks within six feet of the basket at a rate that's 16.9 percent worse than the league average with McDaniels operating as their primary defender.
The NBA's leading shot-blocker at the 2 (1.58 per game), McDaniels is also on pace to throttle into rare air if he sustains his gaudy pace. In league history, Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, Julius Erving and Gar Heard are the only players 6'6'' or shorter to average at least 1.5 blocks, per Basketball-Reference.com.
"My dad always told me that defense wins games, so when he told me that, I just kind of focused on defense as much as offense," McDaniels told reporters in October, according to NBA.com's Max Rappaport. "[Teams aren’t] expecting a two guard to go block shots, but I feel like I've got to have my teammates' back, so I go out there and do whatever I need to."
As we know, though, defense can't be quantified using just one standard measure. We need to examine the gamut of numbers available in order to truly understand just how significant McDaniels' impact has been.
"McDaniels has a block percentage of 5.2, per Basketball-Reference," Bleacher Report's Tom Sunnergren wrote. "To put this figure in context, Dwyane Wade is the best shot-blocking guard of all time, and he never posted a block rate better than 3.1."
Close to crashing the league's elite defensive clubhouse, it's worth pointing out that the Sixers' efficiency has improved quite noticeably with McDaniels on the floor.
Overall, the team's mark sits at 102.2, as outlined earlier. With McDaniels off the floor, that total balloons to an even 104.0. But with him stretching to deflect passes or engulf spheres of orange leather midair, the team's defensive rating improves to 100.4, per NBA.com. This season, only six teams (Golden State, Houston, Portland, Washington, San Antonio and Oklahoma City) have totaled efficiency ratings better than 100.4.
"Brett Brown has done a masterful job in building a sound, fundamental defense, and that's put them in a position to be way more competitive than people think they are," CBS Sports' Matt Moore wrote following Tuesday's win over the Heat.
The icing on the cake has been McDaniels' one-on-one defense against some of the league's most esteemed scorers. Just check out how he's fared as the closest defender against some of these studs, per NBASavant.com:
| Player | Shots | Made | FG% |
| Marco Belinelli | 2 | 6 | 33.3 |
| Luol Deng | 2 | 5 | 40.0 |
| James Harden | 0 | 6 | 0.00 |
| Dwyane Wade | 1 | 5 | 20.0 |
But then there's the elephant in the room: McDaniels' sliding offensive production.
After starting off the year shooting 39.5 percent from three while averaging 10.6 points in November, McDaniels has totally fallen off in December. Through 10 appearances this month, McDaniels is averaging just 8.3 points while shooting 17.9 percent from beyond the arc.
As a result, his shot chart runs red with disappointment, per NBA.com:
"I think I’m probably going through my rookie hump right now," he said of hitting the rookie wall, according to Philly.com's Keith Pompey. "But it’s part of the NBA my first year. So I just have to find a way to get around it, keep moving and keep working.”
That said, the Sixers are 4.6 points better per 100 offensive possessions with McDaniels on the floor. However, Philadelphia's 93.9 offensive rating with McDaniels in the game would still rank as one of the worst in league history.
Fortunately, McDaniels has used his vertical leap to temporarily wipe those struggles away from spectators' minds:
And even if McDaniels isn't going to stuff stat sheets, you need to be on the prowl each and every night for breathtaking athletic accomplishments, as Moore noted:
"“Always record the Sixers game so you can get McDaniels highlights” is becoming a league pass rule.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) December 24, 2014"
Offensive deficiencies aside, McDaniels is firmly in the Rookie of the Year conversation now that Jabari Parker is sidelined for the remainder of the season with a torn ACL.
And in the long run, McDaniels' powerful early-season statements bode well for a player who bet on his immense talent and signed a one-year, non-guaranteed tender prior to the season. Now, with his contributions speaking volumes, McDaniels is on track to boast financial leverage come summer time.
While the Sixers possess the right to match any offer sheet McDaniels inks as a restricted free agent, there are plenty of contenders who stand to benefit from adding a lockdown defender capable of providing a major spark off the bench.
Of course, Philadelphia is replete with cap space, and shelling out a few extra million dollars annually in order to retain McDaniels' services will be well worth fessing up to a short-term tactical blunder.
Given that the Sixers defense is already prospering with a cast comprised largely of lottery picks, undrafted free agents and junkyard veterans, it's terrifying to consider what this group can accomplish with McDaniels as a defensive centerpiece once Joel Embiid and Dario Saric slot into the starting lineup.
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