Getty Alex Caruso of the Chicago Bulls
The term 3-and-D player gets tossed around loosely in the NBA. In its simplest form, it is a player who is adept at making 3-pointers while also playing elite defense on the other end.
It feels simple enough, but once you dive into the numbers, it becomes a bit more complicated to define.
Using a methodology that is explained below, a list of the nine best 3-and-D players, led by Alex Caruso, was created.
Methodology
The first step was isolating good 3-point shooters. This was done by setting filters for players who take at least 3 3-pointers per game and shoot at least 37% from three.
Because it is difficult to quantify defensive talent, especially for players who primarily defend at the perimeter, a composite metric was needed to identify the best defenders. Taylor Snarr’s Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus (D-EPM) was used as the metric. More specifically, only players who had a D-EPM of +1.5 or greater.
Typical 3-and-D players shoot mostly 3-pointers and are low-usage players. So, the final step was filtering for players whose total field goal attempts are made up of at least 50% 3-point attempts and have a usage rate of 20% or lower.
The NBA’s Best 3-&-D Players
Alex Caruso
@AOP_NBA
The Chicago Bulls‘ guard has a reputation as one of the league’s best perimeter defenders, and the numbers back it up. He led all players on the list in D-EPM (+3.3), and was the only player on the list at +3 or higher. On the other end, Caruso takes 4.6 3-pointers per game, knocking them down 39.1% of the time.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker
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Nickeil Alexander-Walker has been a huge reason why the Minnesota Timberwolves have a defensive rating of 108.4, the best in the NBA. Alexander-Walker was seen as a throw-in when the Timberwolves acquired Mike Conley last season at the trade deadline as part of a three-team, eight-player deal. However, he has become an integral part of their defensive identity. He currently is knocking down his 3-pointers at a 38.1% clip.
Jalen Suggs
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Jalen Suggs has taken a huge leap this season, shooting 7.4% better from three than he did last year on 1.4 more attempts per game. His 3-point percentage of 40.1% is the second highest on this list. He is also a great on-ball defender, with a D-EPM of +2.7 and 1.4 steals per game.
Dean Wade
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over 87% of Dean Wade‘s shots are 3-pointers, the highest percentage in the league among players who play at least 20 minutes per game. He knocks down 39.1% of his 3-point shots and has a D-EPM of +2.4. Wade can get as hot as anyone in the league from deep, as he proved on March 5 against the Boston Celtics when he knocked down 5 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.
Derrick White
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Derrick White is having the best season of his career. He is a knockdown 3-point shooter, taking 6.7 threes per game and hitting them at 40.2%, the highest 3-point percentage on this list. He is also an unbelievable defender, with a D-EPM of +2, while averaging 1 steal and 1.3 blocks per game. He leads the entire NBA in blocks per game among players that are 6’7″ or shorter.
Jose Alvarado
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Jose Alvarado‘s 3-point shooting took a massive leap this year, going from 33.6% on 4 attempts per game last season to 37.3% on 3.4 attempts this season. Alvarado is a pesky defender, averaging 1.1 steals per game while having a D-EPM of 1.9.
Fred VanVleet
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Fred VanVleet is not someone who typically comes to mind when thinking of a traditional 3-D player. He is an undersized guard, but great at jumping passing lanes and generates 1.2 steals and 0.8 blocks per game. His 3-point shot has rebounded this year, after he shot just 34.2% from deep last year, the lowest of his career.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
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Kentavious Caldwell-Pope just barely qualified for this list, as only 50.1% of his shots are 3-pointers. The vet was a huge part of the Denver Nuggets championship last season, and will be a huge part of their chances at repeating this season. He averages 1.5 steals per game and shoots 39.2% from deep.
Vince Williams Jr.
@AOP_NBA
The Memphis Grizzlies have been decimated with injuries all year. The positive side of the injuries, it has given Vince Williams Jr. a chance to play, and he has responded in a big way. Last year, he only appeared in 15 games all season. This year, he has played in 52 games and is shooting 37.8% from three while playing great defense.