2022-2023 NBA Futures Defensive Player of the Year Odds, Picks & Predictions: DPOY Futures Bets to Lock in Now

As the NBA continues to grow in offensive talent, the need for defensive centerpieces increases. Having a top seed is a prerequisite to winning the award, and foretells a successful season for a team.

The defensive end has turned into an arms race of versatility. Big men have to do more than just protect the rim now, and guards need the capability of being a factor down low.

A great defender today can be put in a multitude of situations and thrive, whether it’s being able to switch out on the perimeter, contest at the rim or understand off-ball responsibilities.

2022-23 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds

NBA DPOY Futures Odds, Picks & Predictions

The Safe Pick: Jaren Jackson Jr. | -190 at DraftKings

Leading our picks (and anchoring the defensive end for one of the best teams in the league) is Jaren Jackson Jr. The only player on here who is considered a genuine minus-odds favorite to win the award, Jackson has been incredible during his 2022-2023 campaign.

In 40 games this season, Jackson has averaged an otherworldly 3.3 blocks per game, and 1.6 steals per game.

The number of additional possessions that a player of his caliber can create for his team can’t be discounted, and while not every block leads to a turnover for an opposing team, Jackson may be the best player in the league currently at creating opportunities for his teammates to get out in transition after a turnover.

With Jackson defining their defense, the Grizzlies have the second-best defense in the league and they’d likely have the best if he hadn’t missed the first month or so of the season.

In games he has played, the Grizzlies have gone 25-15, and his combined plus/minus is +289 — he’s the best defender in the league right now, and unless something catastrophic happens, he’s almost a shoo-in to win this year.

The Longshot: Rudy Gobert | +15000 at DraftKings

Rudy Gobert is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, which is tied for second-most all-time. He also switched teams this past offseason, as he was traded for a haul of draft picks and rotation players to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Timberwolves finished 13th in defense last season but despite the upgrade from Gobert, they’re currently only one spot better at twelfth. The belief that Gobert would have covered for Karl-Anthony Towns’ weaknesses was a potentially correct one, but Towns has missed over half the season, so the fit has never come to fruition.

Gobert is one of the best rim deterrents in the league, terrorizing anyone who dares to drive to the basket. He has the elite ability to take away the guard’s rim drive while shutting off the big man in pick-and-roll defense. He has great hands and instincts in drop coverage and holds his own when he needs to switch off on smaller offensive players.

The Utah Jazz had a 104.5 defensive rating when he was on the floor, which would have been the best in the league. It dropped to 112.3 when he was off, good for about 21st in the league. Players shoot 7% worse than their average when being defended by Gobert.

The Jazz also surrounded him with some of the worst guard rotation defenders in the league, with players like Donovan Mitchell and Jordan Clarkson unable to stay in front of their guys.

All the metrics for Gobert rank him at the top of the league on the defensive end. Those metrics can get cloudy in the postseason, as the playoffs bring different challenges like five-out offenses or stars that can pick on the lack of foot speed.

If the Wolves had a healthy roster all year, things may look different, but with only twenty games to go, the likelihood of Gobert causing a significant turnaround for the Wolves is unlikely.

The Value Pick: Nicolas Claxton | +750 at DraftKings

Rounding out our list of recommended picks is Nicolas Claxton, of the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets have had a chaotic year, to say the least, but Claxton’s growth has been one of the bright spots in a sea of issues.

While it’s unlikely that he wins this award, the growth that Claxton has displayed from last year to this year indicates that he could very soon be a regular contender for the Defensive Player of the Year award.

His rebounds per game have nearly doubled, and his blocks per game have more than doubled — while his offense leaves much to be desired, he could end up in the same position as a Rudy Gobert or Tyson Chandler, where his defense more than makes up for his offensive shortcomings.

He’s not there yet, and the Nets will likely have a tough end to their season with the recent trades of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, but there is value in a Claxton pick for any bettors who think Claxton’s health and consistency can overcome Jackson’s eye-popping stats and impact.

2022-2023 Defensive Player of the Year Prediction: Jaren Jackson Jr. | -190 at DraftKings

Assuming no changes to the Grizzlies over the rest of the season, this award has been all but awarded to Jaren Jackson Jr. already — the media and fans alike have crowned him the best defender in the league, and he’ll win DPOY for the 2022-2023 season.