The Brooklyn Nets already had a wing defender. His name is Ziaire Williams, and he agreed to a brand new two-year, $12 million deal shortly after the 2025 NBA free agency period opened. Williams, 23, was a former lottery pick of the Memphis Grizzlies and found a home in Brooklyn after being dealt there last summer.
Months after the negotiations with Williams, the Nets added another wing defender. His name is Haywood Highsmith, and he came over to Brooklyn through a salary dump swap with the Miami Heat that also featured two second-round picks. Highsmith is currently rehabbing from knee surgery, but is expected back shortly after training camp begins.
These guys play the same position and are each known for their scrappy defensive mentalities—but only one can start, assuming Michael Porter Jr. gets the nod at the four spot.
When glancing at the advanced analytics from the 2024-25 campaign, the numbers do favor Highsmith. If you need a primary stopper to guard some of the best forwards in the league, you’d want Highsmith. He clearly surpassed Williams in crafted defensive plus-minus (CDPM), help/rim events and matchup versatility.
Here’s how those statistics broke down via CraftedNBA:
CDPM
Help/Rim Events
Matchup Versatility
Highsmith: +1.6 (87th percentile)
Highsmith: 2.1% (67th percentile)
Highsmith: 85 (89th percentile)
Williams: −0.3 (40th percentile)
Williams: 1.4% (49th percentile)
Williams: ≈78–81 (~82nd percentile)
However, when it comes to deflections, steal rate and on-ball activity, Williams owns the advantage, as seen below:
Deflections
Steal Rate
On-Ball Activity
Williams: 3.4 per 75 (86th percentile)
Williams: 1.5% (61st percentile)
Williams: Higher frequency vs. 2s/3s
Highsmith: 3.3 per 75 (83rd percentile)
Highsmith: 1.3% (54th percentile)
Highsmith: Slightly more 4/5 assignments
While each does present their own strengths and weaknesses, the edge would have to be given to Highsmith. Yes, Williams has more active hands, but Highsmith can guard more positions and owns the overall better defensive plus-minus.
There is one factor, however, that could change how this battle for the starting primary defender spot is analyzed. And it’s incoming rookie and North Carolina product Drake Powell.
Powell, 19, was selected by Brooklyn with the 22nd-overall pick, a draft choice that was acquired in the three-team deal that sent Kristaps Porzingis to Atlanta. He’s one of the best athletes in the entire 2025 class, in addition to the elite two-way skills he displayed as a Tarheel. If he enjoys some sort of training camp breakout, Highsmith and Williams may end up competing with the rookie for reps.
Now, that’s not expected to happen immediately. If anything, Highsmith and Williams likely end up more so as mentors for the young Powell rather than positional rivals. Still, his presence has to be accounted for.
Until any other developments emerge, Highsmith should be viewed as the team’s top perimeter defender—at least according to the 2024-25 advanced analytics.