Defense
Brandon Jennings has never been a lockdown defender, but he has value on the defensive end. He’s a quick and opportunistic defender who plays the passing lanes and picks his opponents’ pockets.
Jennings struggled to make plays on defense in 2015-16, but with a full offseason behind him, he should be closer to full strength.
Jennings has a career average of 1.3 steals per game. For a New York Knicks team that’s attempting to push the pace and get out in transition under head coach Jeff Hornacek, having a player who can create turnovers will be invaluable.
The question is: will Jennings be closer to the 0.6 steals per game he averaged in 2015-16 or the 1.6 he averaged in 2012-13?
Jennings averaged 1.3 steals per game in 2013-14 and 1.1 in 2014-15, which is a fair range to project. He’s playing for a team that needs him to be active in attempting to force turnovers, however, and has two top-flight rim protectors behind in Joakim Noah and Kristaps Porzingis.
Expect Jennings to take chances and rack up a fair amount of steals during the 2016-17 NBA regular season?
Realistic Expectation: 1.5 SPG, .450 DEF FG%