I know what the "defer upgrades" option in Windows 10 does - it allows you to choose between the "Current Branch" and the "Current Branch for Business".
Windows Server 2016, on the other hand, always uses the "Long Term Servicing Branch".
Thus, I was surprised to find the following option in the advanced Windows Update options on my newly installed Windows Server 2016 Standard:
What does it do? I tried to click on "learn more", but it just links to a bing search of defer upgrades in Windows 10
, which, obviously, does not apply to Windows Server 2016.
The following information is in the documentation of Windows 10, but I think it is save to assume that the Windows 10 Servicing Model also applies to Windows Server 2016.
Source: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/itpro/windows/manage/waas-overview
The important information here is that "the LTSB servicing model […] provides only quality updates […] but customers can choose to defer them"
Quick hint on what quality updates are:
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/itpro/windows/manage/waas-manage-updates-wufb
To directly answer your question in light of how I interpret the before-mentioned: The LTSB still provides you with Quality Updates. Defer updates gives you the opportunity to have Microsoft Updates (which are a part of the Quality Updates) installed at a later time and not immediately after they are available from Windows Update. Note that security updates are not affected by that setting as per this explanation by Microsoft.
I don't have sources for Server 2016, but I assume that the technical foundation should be the same as in Windows 10.