If you’ve ever watched the Chicago Bulls on a random Tuesday night in February, you know that Torrey Craig isn't there to sell jerseys. He’s there to do the stuff nobody else wants to do. He’s the guy diving into the front row for a loose ball or sticking his hand in the face of a superstar who makes ten times his salary. But when you look at the Torrey Craig defensive win shares 2023-24 data, the story gets a bit more complicated than just "he plays hard."
Advanced stats in the NBA are kinda weird. They try to quantify things that are inherently messy. Defensive Win Shares (DWS) is a metric that estimates the number of wins a player contributes through his defensive play. For Craig’s 2023-24 campaign in Chicago, that number sat at 0.9.
Now, on the surface, 0.9 doesn't sound like a world-beating stat. It’s not Rudy Gobert territory. But context is everything in the league. You have to realize Craig only played 53 games last year. He was dealing with a nagging plantar fascia injury that kept him sidelined for a huge chunk of the winter. When he was on the floor, he was basically the glue holding a middle-of-the-road Bulls defense together.
Breaking Down the Torrey Craig Defensive Win Shares 2023-24 Performance
To really understand what that 0.9 DWS means, you've gotta look at how the Bulls functioned. Craig averaged about 19.8 minutes per game. In those limited minutes, he was often tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best wing. We’re talking about a 33-year-old veteran navigating screens and playing physical basketball against guys ten years younger.
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His Defensive Box Plus-Minus (DBPM) was actually a -0.2, which might suggest he was a slight net negative, but that’s where the "eye test" vs. "spreadsheets" debate starts. If you look at his individual defensive rating, it was roughly 116.4. In an era where teams regularly score 120 points, that's actually fairly decent for a rotational wing.
Honestly, the Torrey Craig defensive win shares 2023-24 total would have been much higher if he hadn't missed those 22 games between December and February. Win shares are a cumulative stat. If you aren't on the court, you aren't "winning" shares. Simple as that.
The Value of Versatility
Why do coaches like Billy Donovan keep throwing him out there? It's the versatility. Craig is 6'7" with a wingspan that makes life miserable for shooters. In the 2023-24 season, he posted a block percentage of 2.1% and a steal percentage of 1.4%. These aren't just empty numbers; they represent possessions where he actively took the ball away or altered a shot at the rim.
- He guarded small forwards 42% of the time.
- He slid up to power forward for about 35% of his minutes.
- He even took shifts against guards when the Bulls went small.
This "Swiss Army Knife" approach is exactly why his defensive presence is felt even when the box score looks a little lean. Most players specialized in one area. Craig just specializes in being an annoyance.
Why the Metrics Might Underestimate Him
There’s a real limitation to how we measure defense. DWS relies heavily on team performance. If the team defense is struggling—which the Bulls often were during their 39-43 season—everyone’s individual win shares take a hit. It's sort of like trying to judge a lifeguard's skill based on how many people stayed dry in a hurricane.
During the 2023-24 season, the Bulls had a defensive efficiency of around 119.8 when Craig was on the bench versus when he was active. He provides a level of communication that doesn't show up in the Torrey Craig defensive win shares 2023-24 column. He talks. He directs traffic. He makes sure the 21-year-old rookies know where their rotation is.
Comparison to Previous Seasons
If we compare this to his time with the Phoenix Suns in 2022-23, his DWS was 1.9. That’s double. Does that mean he suddenly became a worse defender in Chicago? Not really. In Phoenix, he played 79 games and started 60 of them. He was part of a much more cohesive defensive unit.
The drop to 0.9 in Chicago is more about availability and team context than a sudden decline in skill. You've also got to account for the fact that he was shooting the three-ball at a career-high 39.2% last year. Sometimes, when a vet puts more energy into being a floor spacer, their raw defensive tracking stats take a tiny dip because they're sprinting to the corner on every offensive possession.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're looking at Craig's impact for your fantasy league or just trying to understand the Bulls' roster construction, don't get hung up on the 0.9 figure. Instead, look at the defensive rating on-off splits. The Bulls were consistently more disciplined with him on the floor.
For those tracking veteran impact, Craig remains a "buy low" candidate in terms of perceived value. He provides playoff-level intensity in the regular season. Moving forward, his ability to maintain that 0.9 to 1.5 DWS range while shooting nearly 40% from deep makes him one of the more undervalued 3-and-D assets in the Eastern Conference.
To get a true sense of his value, watch how he handles the "point of attack." While the Torrey Craig defensive win shares 2023-24 stats give us a baseline, his real worth is found in the fourth quarter when he's denies a star player's favorite spot on the floor. He’s a pro’s pro.
Check the lineup data for the upcoming season to see if his defensive win shares rebound with better health. If he plays 70+ games, expect that number to climb back toward the 1.5–2.0 range. Keep an eye on his "Contested Shots" per 36 minutes; that’s usually the best predictor for his defensive success.