Top 5 wing defenders in the league right now | NBA 2020-21

#3 Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat)

Defensive rating according to RAPTOR: +4.4 | NBA 2020-21

NBA: Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat defends Lonzo Ball #2 of the New Orleans

Jimmy Butler is the third-best wing defender in the 2020-21 NBA season thus far.

Bulter has only played six of the 11 games for the Miami Heat this season after being sidelined due to health and safety protocols. However, in these six games, the 31-year-old recorded a +4.4 RAPTOR defensive rating.

Bulter's contagious energy improves the defense of everyone on his Heat team. When the 12th year wing player is on the court, his opponent's expected field goal percentage decreases by 6.5%, according to cleaningtheglass.com.

Jimmy Butler discusses how the @MiamiHEAT's success in linked to bringing lockdown defense into every game.#HEATTwitter #NBA pic.twitter.com/7qtxd797zE

— FOX Sports Florida & Sun (@FOXSportsFL) January 10, 2021

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#2 Talen Horton-Tucker (LA Lakers)

Defensive rating according to RAPTOR: +5.0 | NBA 2020-21

Frank Vogel of the Los Angeles Lakers talks with Talen Horton-Tucker #5

Talen Horton-Tucker has been one of the most talked-about wing defenders in the NBA this season. There have been reports that multiple teams are interested in signing him to increase their perimeter defense. One of those teams is the New York Knicks.

Along with Horton-Tucker's defensive RAPTOR rating of +5.0, when he is on the court for the LA Lakers, he decreases opponents' total three-point accuracy by 4.7%, via cleaningtheglass.com.

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#1 Derrick Jones Jr. (Portland Trail Blazers)

Defensive rating according to RAPTOR: +5.1| NBA 2020-21

Chicago Bulls v Portland Trail Blazers

Derrick Jones Jr. is the top wing defender in the 2020-21 NBA season, with a defensive RAPTOR rating of +5.1.

The most impressive part of the 23-year-old's defensive game is his ability to defend the corner three.

When Jones Jr. is on the court for the Portland Trail Blazers, according to cleaningtheglass.com, their opponent's corner three-point accuracy drops by 18.9%. His remarkable athleticism allows him to jump out and defend three-point shooters on the perimeter quickly.

"Defense wins games...I just love defense, it just makes me happy when my team gets steals, blocks...dive on the floor for the ball, whatever I need to do to get it, I'm going to do it"Portland Trail Blazers Derrick Jones Jr.#RipCity | @TheRea1DJones pic.twitter.com/DcdpCmxt2z

— Orlando Sanchez (@orlandokgw) November 24, 2020