Predicting Every Major Stats Leader for the 2024-2025 NBA Season | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

Steals are generally an overrated defensive trait, as many of them come from their good weakside betting skills. Neither of last year’s leaders, Gilgeous-Alexander and Fox, are considered good one-on-one defenders, but they benefit from the defensive work of their teammates.

The Thunder have surrounded Gilgeous-Alexander with great defenders like Luguentz Dort and Jalen Williams on the perimeter. This allows SGA to be more aggressive in playing the passing lanes and coming up with steals.

Fox is lightning fast, and while the Kings aren’t nearly as good defensively as the Thunder, he has great instincts on the weak side and can jump into passing lanes.

However, it will be difficult for both players to repeat this season. For Gilgeous-Alexander, the addition of defensive wizard Alex Caruso could siphon off some steals opportunities. Before last season, Fox had never averaged more than 1.6 steals per game, which returned in 2018-19.

There are quite a few candidates who have a chance to win the steals title next season. Keep an eye on Dejounte Murray with the New Orleans Pelicans. He will be in a similar situation where he can work on the weak side defensively, as Herb Jones will be going up against most teams’ key perimeter players. That should open up opportunities for Murray to steal on the weak side.

Dark Horse Candidate: New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges will be part of a loaded defensive team with OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo. Bridges can work on the weak side, as Gilgeous-Alexander and Fox did last season, giving him a chance to capture the steals title.