Data for this post was obtained using Synergy Sports technology.
Three days ago, Jonathan Feigen reported that the Rockets are planning on retaining Chuck Hayes for the 2010-2011 season. Hayes has a player option and is due to make $2.3 million this year. In other words, it won't cost the Rockets much to keep their captain, which is nice.
Often times, we credit the Chuckwagon as being one of the best individual post defenders in the league. Though Chuck's presence in the lane is often transparent, as teams made and attempted far more shots at the rim this season than in years past, his reputation as a one-on-one post defender is legitimate. However, we've largely gone along with this assumption based on what we've seen here and there, or just because we read it somewhere and decided to agree. So, I figured, why not take a look at the statistics, as they have recently become available to me.
After the jump, I'll be taking a look at Chuck's individual post defense statistics in comparison with many of the NBA's top starting centers, as well as low-post players who serve as defensive options off the bench. I may have left a few names off the list (Anderson Varejao does a little bit more than just post defense), but I figure that these are the most prominent names that should be considered. Then, for kicks, I threw Luis Scola on the list, which may not have been such a good idea. And I referenced Chris Bosh, too, because I basically have to.
Player
Chances
David Lee
321
Al Horford
310
Nene
301
Chuck Hayes
287
Brook Lopez
261
Carlos Boozer
257
Kendrick Perkins
254
Jermaine O’Neal
238
Amare Stoudemire
236
Mehmet Okur
233
Tim Duncan
231
Dwight Howard
229
Spencer Hawes
219
Luis Scola
215
Al Jefferson
212
Sam Dalembert
206
Roy Hibbert
205
Joakim Noah
201
Pau Gasol
198
Chris Bosh
191
Andrew Bynum
185
Marc Gasol
184
Andrew Bogut
175
Chris Andersen
140
DeJuan Blair
137
First, we have the total number of post-up "chances" that each of the players above guarded during the 2009-2010 season. A post-up chance is not the same as a shot attempt - a chance begins as soon as the offensive player receives the ball. He may shoot it, or, due to good defense, he may commit a turnover. Turnovers are the only alternative considered here; passing out of the post is not. These are possessions that end after the post player receives the ball. In this regard, Chuck faced the third-most post-up chances of anyone on this list. Keep in mind that Marc Gasol's season was cut short by an injury.
Note (5/12): Tisbee makes a great point in the comments: the fact that Chuck faced so many "chances" sheds light to how confident the Rockets are in leaving him in a one-on-one situation and holding off the double team. Many players on this list with fewer "chances" most likely received more help (in the form of double teams) than Chuck did. Leaving Chuck by himself allows for the defense to close out quicker on the perimeter in the event of a kick-out pass.
| Player | % Score | Chances |
| Dwight Howard | 35.80 | 229 |
| Mehmet Okur | 36.10 | 233 |
| Kendrick Perkins | 36.20 | 254 |
| Al Horford | 37.40 | 310 |
| Andrew Bynum | 38.90 | 185 |
| Tim Duncan | 39.40 | 231 |
| Jermaine O’Neal | 39.90 | 238 |
| Nene | 40.20 | 301 |
| Brook Lopez | 42.50 | 261 |
| Pau Gasol | 42.90 | 198 |
| Chris Bosh | 43.50 | 191 |
| Sam Dalembert | 43.70 | 206 |
| Joakim Noah | 43.80 | 201 |
| Amare Stoudemire | 44.50 | 236 |
| Roy Hibbert | 44.90 | 205 |
| Chuck Hayes | 45.60 | 287 |
| Andrew Bogut | 45.70 | 175 |
| Al Jefferson | 45.80 | 212 |
| Carlos Boozer | 45.90 | 257 |
| Marc Gasol | 46.20 | 184 |
| Spencer Hawes | 47.90 | 219 |
| Chris Andersen | 49.30 | 140 |
| David Lee | 51.10 | 321 |
| Luis Scola | 54.00 | 215 |
| DeJuan Blair | 54.00 | 137 |
"% Score" is the money stat. It's pretty self-explanatory, as it measures the percentage of post-up chances that result in a made basket. Hayes is slightly below average when it comes to % Score among the players on this list, and it's a testament to Dwight Howard and (gasp!) Mehmet Okur that they are ten percentage points below Chuck. Keep in mind, we are still only looking at a handful of NBA big men here. Chuck is far better than many players who still get paid more than him.
So perhaps Hayes isn't among the elite individual post defenders in the league when it comes to preventing made shots. But there are two other factors that need to be assessed that lie in Hayes' favor.
| Player | % Turnover | % Score | Chances |
| Nene | 16.60 | 40.20 | 301 |
| Andrew Bogut | 16.60 | 45.70 | 175 |
| Marc Gasol | 15.80 | 46.20 | 184 |
| Carlos Boozer | 15.60 | 45.90 | 257 |
| Mehmet Okur | 15.50 | 36.10 | 233 |
| Al Jefferson | 14.60 | 45.80 | 212 |
| Al Horford | 14.50 | 37.40 | 310 |
| Chuck Hayes | 14.30 | 45.60 | 287 |
| Roy Hibbert | 13.70 | 44.90 | 205 |
| Sam Dalembert | 13.60 | 43.70 | 206 |
| Amare Stoudemire | 13.60 | 44.50 | 236 |
| Brook Lopez | 13.00 | 42.50 | 261 |
| Chris Andersen | 12.90 | 49.30 | 140 |
| Dwight Howard | 12.70 | 35.80 | 229 |
| Joakim Noah | 12.40 | 43.80 | 201 |
| Pau Gasol | 12.10 | 42.90 | 198 |
| Jermaine O’Neal | 11.80 | 39.90 | 238 |
| Andrew Bynum | 10.80 | 38.90 | 185 |
| Tim Duncan | 10.80 | 39.40 | 231 |
| Chris Bosh | 10.50 | 43.50 | 191 |
| Kendrick Perkins | 10.20 | 36.20 | 254 |
| David Lee | 8.70 | 51.10 | 321 |
| Spencer Hawes | 7.80 | 47.90 | 219 |
| Luis Scola | 7.00 | 54.00 | 215 |
| DeJuan Blair | 6.60 | 54.00 | 137 |
"% Turnover" is another self-explanatory stat, as it measures the percentage of post-up chances that end in a turnover. Hayes instantly shoots up the list, which is no surprise, as he has become quite good at swatting the living crap out of the ball as soon as an opponent turns to score. I'm not sure if this takes into account the number of strips that Chuck actually made in the post, as in, the number of loose balls that he caused that the Rockets did not pick up for a turnover. Also, the fact that Hayes' turnover rate is high means that opponents' field goal percentage against him in the post is high as well - in other words, Hayes makes it tougher to get a shot off, but if an opponent can manage to do so, it's easier for them to score on Chuck than it is against most of the post defenders on the list. Either way, Hayes' % Turnover is an impressive statistic, as the turnover battle is often a major player in deciding the outcome of a game.
| Player | 09-10 Salary* | % Turnover | % Score | Chances |
| Jermaine O’Neal | $22.90 | 11.80 | 39.90 | 238 |
| Tim Duncan | $22.20 | 10.80 | 39.40 | 231 |
| Pau Gasol | $16.50 | 12.10 | 42.90 | 198 |
| Amare Stoudemire | $16.40 | 13.60 | 44.50 | 236 |
| Chris Bosh | $15.70 | 10.50 | 43.50 | 191 |
| Dwight Howard | $15.30 | 12.70 | 35.80 | 229 |
| Andrew Bynum | $12.50 | 10.80 | 38.90 | 185 |
| Carlos Boozer | $12.30 | 15.60 | 45.90 | 257 |
| Al Jefferson | $12.00 | 14.60 | 45.80 | 212 |
| Sam Dalembert | $12.00 | 13.60 | 43.70 | 206 |
| Nene | $10.50 | 16.60 | 40.20 | 301 |
| Andrew Bogut | $10.00 | 16.60 | 45.70 | 175 |
| Mehmet Okur | $9.00 | 15.50 | 36.10 | 233 |
| David Lee | $7.00 | 8.70 | 51.10 | 321 |
| Al Horford | $4.30 | 14.50 | 37.40 | 310 |
| Kendrick Perkins | $4.30 | 10.20 | 36.20 | 254 |
| Chris Andersen | $3.60 | 12.90 | 49.30 | 140 |
| Marc Gasol | $3.30 | 15.80 | 46.20 | 184 |
| Luis Scola | $3.30 | 7.00 | 54.00 | 215 |
| Brook Lopez | $2.50 | 13.00 | 42.50 | 261 |
| Joakim Noah | $2.50 | 12.40 | 43.80 | 201 |
| Spencer Hawes | $2.30 | 7.80 | 47.90 | 219 |
| Chuck Hayes | $2.10 | 14.30 | 45.60 | 287 |
| Roy Hibbert | $1.60 | 13.70 | 44.90 | 205 |
| DeJuan Blair | $0.85 | 6.60 | 54.00 | 137 |
*Salary recorded in millions ($2.10 = $2.1 million)
Here's where Chuck is most valuable: the wallet. For what the Rockets pay him, Hayes gives the defense a very effective individual post defender. As I said earlier, many of these players aren't necessarily asked to defend as much as Chuck or Chris Andersen, so take that into account. But for the Rockets, Chuck fills an important role, and it's nice that he comes so cheaply. If I were to do a similar list of players who fill the same special role that Chuck does, I'm convinced that he'd be at or near the top of each category. This is a prime reason why Daryl Morey and Houston will likely bring him back. And don't forget, he also provides some much needed comic relief at the free-throw line. Sure would hate to lose that.
Hope this helps explain Chuck's value to those who may have questioned it. And just in case anyone forgot, Chuck Hayes is still 6 foot 6. Value to the Rockets aside, this man is incredibly good at what he does.