During the 2017-2018 NBA season, the Houston Rockets preferred to play with two of Trevor Ariza, Luc Mbah a Moute and PJ Tucker on the floor at all times. The three perimeter defenders vaulted Houston into sixth in defensive rating and the number one team in the NBA in performed switches at 1,406, more than doubling most NBA teams.



Unfortunately for the Rockets, they would lose two of their three trusted defensive specialists in free agency. With only PJ Tucker remaining, there was a gaping hole at the small-forward position. Ariza was the free-safety, the signal caller, pointing out coverages and playing the passing lanes. Mbah a Moute was the epitome of versatility, defending 1 through 5, applying heavy on-ball pressure and covering up the opposing team’s premier ball-handler.



Enter James Ennis.



A hybrid to the truest sense, at 6’7” and 210 pounds with an almost 7’ wingspan, Ennis illustrates the ideal combination of athleticism and...