DPOY 2025 Odds and Predictions: Who Wins in Wemby’s Absence?

Mobley is 15^th in the league in rebounds at 9.2, ninth in blocks with 1.5,and outside the top 100 in steals. But with the Cavs’ power forward, it’s all about the eye test.

this will get lost in the shuffle of the #Cavs losing last night, but I’m not sure there are 10 other guys in the NBA right now who could make the play Evan Mobley does in this clip. #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/5A2i7d927Q

— Mikey McNuggets (@MikeLucasTV) March 19, 2025

When you watch Mobley, he’s rarely out of position. He can legitimately guard any position on the floor, posting up with big men under the rim, and then moving out to the perimeter to stay with a point guard. Mobley is tenth in contested two-point shots, and in three-point shots as well.

His versatility has unlocked the Cavs’ defense, which is 11^th in points allowed, and eighth in defensive rating. Furthermore, Mobley deserves to be the favorite for this award as he has been this good all season long. The former USC Trojan is also available for his team, playing 60 games as of March 19. The 23-year-old has an excellent shot to win his first Defensive Player of the Year!

Green is making a late push for the award! Golden State is second only to Detroit in defensive rating over the last 15 games, which also coincides with Butler getting traded to the Warriors. Butler is also a defensive maniac, meaning Green doesn’t have to do it all by himself.

Draymond Green on DPOY: “I want another one.”

“Especially with Wemby going down. It seemed like he had it won. Now it’s right there.”

“One million percent I have a case and I’ll continue to build that case.” pic.twitter.com/Xzww4H8etz

— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) March 19, 2025

Green is also pushing to win the award in the media, which could help. He was terrific in a 104-93 win over Milwaukee, in which Stephen Curry was given the night off. Green held Giannis Antetokounmpo to 20 points, but more importantly, on 5-of-16 shooting. The former Michigan State Spartan could just focus on guarding Antetokounmpo, while Butler takes care of the perimeter.

Green is never going to be a great rim protector, averaging just 1.0 blocks over his career. But he stops you before you even get a chance to shoot. He is also the orchestrator of the Warriors’ defense, calling out assignments to his teammates. It’s likely too late for Green with 13 games left in the season, but he’ll get some consideration from the voters!

Daniels is a certified lockdown defender, averaging 3.0 steals per game, which is 1.2 more than second-place Kris Dunn. The Australian guard, nicknamed the “Great Barrier Thief”, has more steals than anyone has had over the last 15 years in the NBA!

THE GREAT BARRIER THIEF 🦈🦹‍♂️

Dyson Daniels now has more steals this season (194) than any player in the last 15 years! pic.twitter.com/N8iTYleqDx

— NBA (@NBA) March 19, 2025

The last player to have as many steals as Dyson is Chris Paul, back in 2008-09 with New Orleans. The Hawks are 17^th in defensive rating this season, but they would be so much worse without Dyson, especially with Trae Young in the backcourt beside him. Daniels often has to cover for Young on that end, but he has also boosted his offensive numbers since the All-Star break.

Like Green, Daniels has probably run out of time. But I would argue that Daniels’ 2025 NBA DPOY odds should be better than Green as, once again, he has been doing it all season. Not that Green hasn’t, but he has help with Butler. Daniels doesn’t have much, especially since Jalen Johnson went down in January with a shoulder injury. But Daniels will be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate for the next few years!

I’ll take “Triple J” over Dort, who is also priced at +1200. His ankle injury came at a bad time for Jackson Jr., who is fifth in the league in blocks with 1.6, and he averages 1.3 steals as well.

“My Defensive Player of the Year right now… is Jaren Jackson Jr.”

Jaren holds a small edge in most stats, like dFG%:

Jaren Jackson Jr. defends 5 attempts at the basket per game holding opponents to 54% dFG%

Evan Mobley defends 6 attempts at the basket per game holding… pic.twitter.com/Q9vJnYgwi4

— Swish Theory (@SwishTheory) March 4, 2025

The Grizzlies’ defense has also been aided by the emergence of rookie Jaylen Wells, who has the tools to be a lockdown perimeter defender. Jackson Jr. still has to go out to the perimeter with guards, which he can do easily.

Jackson Jr. has been available for the Grizzlies this season as well, playing 62 games so far. He’s actually played more games than Mobley by two games! However, the injury just came at a terrible time as he was installed as the favorite immediately following Wembanyama’s injury. Had he stayed healthy, the battle between Jackson Jr. and Mobley at the top of the NBA DPOY odds would be incredible.