2026-27 NBA Season Preview: Spurs, Rockets, Pelicans, Mavericks, Grizzlies (Southwest Division)

If Wemby isn't the best player in the league yet (he has a strong argument for it), we certainly aren't far away from that being the case. He's already one of the most disruptive defenders in league history, and there are still subtle nuances and technique-based things (stance and footwork, especially on switches) for him to improve on. My guy Steve Jones has consistently highlighted how cerebral Wemby is defensively, constantly barking out assignments and dictating rotations so he can destroy offenses.

Oh, and he's already an efficient volume scorer (25.0 points on 62.6 true shooting last season) without really having a half-court go-to yet. It's scary.

Stephon Castle is one of my favorite players in the league — I'm still slightly #peeved that he didn't make an All-Defensive team last year — and is poised to get better. Elite defender, fun driver, audacious lob-passer, growing shooter: he quietly shot 38% (38.2% during the playoffs) on catch-and-shoot 3s last year.