Who is the best defender on the Toronto Raptors?

5: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson

Rondae Hollis- Jefferson has all of the tools to be in the top 3 of this list. Being as tall as 6 feet 7 inches while having over a 7-foot wingspan, Hollis-Jefferson is able to guard forwards, centers, and even hold his own against guards given his quick feet. His matchup data shows the versatility of his defense as he matches up against the likes of LeBron James (71 possesions), Boban Marjanovic (27 possesions), and John Wall (15.5 possesions a night).

When it comes to all of the players that will be featured on this list, Hollis-Jefferson comes from the worst defensive team. Brooklyn was 15th in defensive rating and mainly relied on the scoring of their guards to win and not many of them are considered strong defenders. Even after taking this into account, there are still a few flaws.

Based on the players he guards the most, Hollis-Jefferson is best suited as a small-ball power forward. However, his rim protection is not as strong as you would think for someone with his wingspan. He only averaged 0.5 blocks a night on an average Brooklyn defensive team. Although he finished only behind Jarrett Allen in blocks among the rest of the Nets players, he would be tied with Kyle Lowry for 7th on the 2018-2019 Raptors. Defenders also made nearly 65-percent of their shots when guarded by Hollis-Jefferson at the rim

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has the versatility and length to be a threat as a perimeter defender while also being capable of holding his own against bigs. Even though his defense has slipped from the past season, he is still a strong addition to the Toronto Raptor’s core.