NBA Free Agents 2011: Top 10 Smartest Defenders

If you jot down a list of the 2011 NBA free agents, big names pop off the board at you. 

Guys like Jamal Crawford, J.J. Barea and Arron Afflalo will be highly-coveted pieces.

When you dig deeper, though, you look for a complete player, a guy that can provide offense and defense equally. 

That would be where this article comes in.

Defense wins championships, but teams need smart defenders to lead their team on the court.

I used a combination of statistics, drawn from a brilliant website named Weakside Awareness, that gives every player's number of personal fouls, loose-ball fouls drawn and charges taken last season. (Fouls on the offensive end are not taken into account in these stats)

Also, I take into account the player's position and team when coming up with the top 10 smartest defenders on the free-agency market. 

10. Carl Landry, F

Carl Landry comes in at No. 10 as one of the smartest defensive players left in free agency.

Landry played a total of 76 game last season, 53 with Sacramento and 23 with New Orleans.

The fourth-year veteran drew 79 personal fouls last season, but standing at only 6'9" drew difficult matchups that he had to work through. 

Working against players like Pau Gasol and other big men makes Landry one of the smartest players left in free agency.

9. Glen Davis, F

A Celtics veteran that is never afraid to put his body on the line is Glen "Big Baby" Davis.

Davis is one of the smarter defensive players in the league, but his size and inability to block shots causes him to be a liability on the floor.

In 78 games last season, Davis drew 54 charges, including a 12-game charge streak.

His ability to redefine himself year-in and year-out makes the 6'9" 289-pound forward No. 9 on the list of smart defenders that are free agents.

8. Marquis Daniels, G/F

Marquis Daniels was an intricate part of the Boston Celtics defense over the past two seasons.

Before suffering a bruised spinal cord, Daniels was thought to have taken over the spot of Tony Allen in the Celtics rotation. Allen's position was to step in for Paul Pierce and be the key defender of other team's elite players such as LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.

Due to the injury, Daniels only played 49 games last season, but managed to draw a solid 24 personal fouls. 

Daniels ability to defend against premier players in this league, without forcing unnecessary fouls, makes him one of the most intelligent defenders left in free agency.

If Daniels can get completely healthy, his value should skyrocket.

7. Jeff Green, F

Back-to-back Celtics players brings us to No. 7, Jeff Green.

Green was traded to the Celtics to take the place of Marquis Daniels in the Boston rotation.

The 6'9" veteran out of Georgetown University drew 46 personal fouls last season, but had a rough end to his season after he was traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Over the 2009-10 season, Green snagged 104 steals and blocked 72 shots over 82 games. 

Green's ability to time shots and beat the ball-handler on the dribble makes him a dangerous combination of size and speed.

6. David West, F

The career-long New Orleans Hornets forward, David West pops in at No. 6.

West played and started 71 games last season where he drew an incredible 87 personal fouls on the defensive end.

The forward from Xavier University had 67 steals and 62 blocks last season, following up on his 76-60 season last year.

West's seven years in the NBA, combined with his ability to get a hand on the ball despite his 6'9" 240-pound frame, makes him one of the smartest defenders in free agency.

5. Kenyon Martin, F

The oldest player on this list, Kenyon Martin, checks in at No. 5.

Martin understands the game of basketball, but his body is deteriorating. The 11-year veteran enters the offseason after only starting 48 games last year.

Since the 2007-08 season, Martin has started fewer games every year consecutively, but hasn't lost his touch on the defensive end.

If Martin can stay healthy, his intelligence will help whatever team decides to take a chance on him. 

4. Shane Battier

On the other hand, Shane Battier, a 10-year veteran, looks great on the defensive end.

The "Kobe Stopper" was traded to Memphis last season, where he led the Grizzlies on an immaculate playoff run.

The veteran from Duke University had 69 steals and 81 blocks last season, which is his best in the last four years. He drew 68 personal fouls, as well as 21 charges throughout the year. 

Battier shows he still has the quickness and timing to get up with the young guys, as he stands at No. 4 on the list of the smartest free agents on the market.

3. Nene Hilario, F/C

Rounding out the top three is the nine-year pro, Nene Hilario.

Nene has been inconsistent in his tenure in the NBA, but the big man has shown his intelligence on the court.

Last season, Nene drew 88 personal fouls and 20 loose ball fouls, but also drew 18 charges.

Nene stayed relatively healthy over the last two years, starting all 75 games he appeared in after starting all 82 games last season.

Although he has to guard the big bodies of the West, Nene is a smart enough defender to stay healthy over the next couple of seasons. 

2. Tyson Chandler, C

The starting center for the NBA champion Dallas Mavericks, Tyson Chandler, comes in at No. 2.

Chandler is another nine-year veteran that has taken advantage of playing for four different teams over his tenure in the league.

The big man drafted right out of high school took 17 charges at the center position last season. Chandler also drew 75 personal fouls, as well as 43 loose-ball fouls. 

If Chandler can stay healthy, his ability to defend the rim and get on the floor for balls makes him another intelligent defender.

1. Marc Gasol, C

The 7'1" 265-pound three-year veteran Marc Gasol checks in at No. 1.

The center had a career year last season, with 74 steals and 136 blocks. 

Gasol drew 145 personal fouls, six more than older brother Pau, and 25 loose ball fouls. The big man put his body on the line as well, drawing 35 charges in his standout season.

Gasol is not just a lumbering big man as he has shown the quickness for steals, ability to stay up tall for blocks and willingness to take charges for his team.

Gasol's basketball IQ makes him one of the top free agents available.

Conclusion

As we patiently wait through the lockout and free agency, hopefully this brief overview helps the impatient ones.

Thanks for taking the time to read and please comment below.

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