2023 NBA Free Agent Position Series: Centers

Keith Smith
Keith Smith, Resident NBA ExpertApril 14, 2023
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© USA TODAY Sports

Spotrac’s Free Agent by Position Series

Point Guards   |   Shooting Guards   |   Small Forwards   |   Power Forwards   |   Centers

2023 NBA free agency is right around the corner. This isn’t considered to be a blockbuster free agent class, but there are several impact players available. In these rankings, we took a similar approach to the one many teams use when it comes to ranking available players. Each position was broken down into tiers. The tiers are:

  • All-Star: These aren’t all necessarily All-Stars, but they have the ability to be an All-Star
  • Starters: These players are either starters or they produce at a starter-level of impact
  • Rotation: These are solid players that should be in a team’s regular season rotation
  • Fringe: These are players at the end of the bench or Two-Way players largely in the G League

Players were then ranked within their tiers. All potential free agents have been ranked, including those with pending options.

ALL-STAR TIER

  1. Brook Lopez – Milwaukee Bucks    UFA

    Lopez is the best of this group because of his two-way impact. Everyone else is either good on offense or defense. Lopez is an elite stretch big, who can still mash in the post. And he's a DPOY candidate. Look for an extension here.

  2. Nikola Vucevic – Chicago Bulls    UFA

    Vucevic is coming off an outstanding season. He's a guaranteed double-double and he's one of the more efficient scoring bigs. Only his age (33 at the start of next season) and his defense keep him from being a near-max guy.

STARTER TIER

  1. Jakob Poeltl – Toronto Raptors    UFA

    Poeltl is an outstanding defender and a better-than-you-think offensive player. Two things keep him from the top tier: His range is measure in inches, as opposed to feet. And some teams can play him off the floor on defense.

  2. Christian Wood – Dallas Mavericks    UFA

    Wood may be the best offensive player of this group. He's an inside-outside threat and he can play stationary or on the move. He's just not a good defender. But he's better than how Dallas used him. A smart team will get a good player.

  3. Mason Plumlee – Los Angeles Clippers    UFA

    This is a test of how much people watch the Hornets. Plumlee was really good for Charlotte. He can finish inside, rebound and he's a pretty good faciliator too. The defense is iffy, but Plumlee is a starting level center on most teams.

  4. Naz Reid – Minnesota Timberwolves    UFA

    Reid hasn't started much, but he's a starter-level guy. It's just hard when you have two All-Star centers on the roster with you. Reid is a pretty good offensive player and he can block some shots and rebound. Potential value signing here.

ROTATION TIER

  1. Dwight Powell – Dallas Mavericks    UFA

    Powell was miscast in a bad Dallas defensive system, but he's not a bad player. He's a good screen setter and a really good finisher at the rim. Everything else is just ok, but those first two skills are near-elite level.

  2. Thomas Bryant – Denver Nuggets    UFA

    This might be sticking too much to priors here, but Thomas Bryant is better than he showed this season. He's sort of Wood-lite, in that he's a great offensive player but doesn't offer a lot on defense. Still, he's a rotation level center.

  3. Andre Drummond – Chicago Bulls    PLAYER

    Drummond is still an elite rebounder, but he doesn't do a whole lot else. His finishing is just ok and his defense is passable as a backup. That's his role now, but he's pretty good in it. You can feel good with Drummond as your backup.

  4. Mike Muscala – Boston Celtics    CLUB

    Muscala has been in a weird spot the last couple of years. OKC didn't play him a ton, because they were prioritizing their kids. Then, Boston acquired him for depth. He's an elite shooting five. Look for Boston to pick up this option.

  5. Drew Eubanks – Portland Trail Blazers    UFA

    It's probably gotten lost in two forgettable Blazers seasons, but Eubanks has become a pretty solid NBA player. He's a good rim protector and rebounder and solid around the rim. Can't ask for much more from a backup five.

  6. Jock Landale – Phoenix Suns    RFA

    Landale's rotation role has come and gone in Phoenix. If he was even a little better defensively, he'd be a solid backup. As it is, you probably need him in a platoon as your backup five with a defensive-minded center like the next guy.

  7. Bismack Biyombo – Phoenix Suns    UFA

    Biyombo very unexpectedly got his career back on track in with the Suns. He's still terrific on defense, and he rebounds. Biyombo doesn't offer much offensive, so the platoon with the above guy works out nicely for Phoenix.

  8. Chimezie Metu – Sacramento Kings    UFA

    Last season, it seemed like Metu was carving out a rotation role for himself. This year, he's fallen off a bit. There's offensive talent there, but Metu doesn’t bring enough defensively to be more than a backup five.

  9. Kevin Love – Miami Heat    UFA

    If this isn't the end of the line for Love, we're really close. His shot has fallen off, and that limits his effectiveness on offense great. Love can still rebound and pass, but his defense isn't even passable anymore. There's just not much left.

  10. Blake Griffin – Boston Celtics    UFA

    Griffin has become a great locker room presense who brings a ton of hustle to the floor. He hits enough shots to make the defense respect him, plus great passing and good positional defense. Does he want to keep going another year?

  11. Xavier Tillman – Memphis Grizzlies    CLUB

    Tillman started to really put things together when he focused on defense and rebounding. On offense, he's learned how to set some really good screens and to roll hard. A good playoff run would bump him up several spots on this list.

  12. Moritz Wagner – Orlando Magic    UFA

    Wagner carved out a rotation role in Orlando, not because his brother is there, but because he earned it. He's a top-tier irritant. Wagner will be in a rotation because he does just enough good stuff, along with annoying opponents.

  13. Paul Reed – Philadelphia 76ers    RFA

    Reed hasn't come along quite as quickly as some in Philadelphia hoped, but he's figuring things out. He can rebound and finish and bang inside on defense. His biggest issue is that he's a foul machine. But he's a rotation big anyway.

  14. Jaxson Hayes – New Orleans Pelicans    RFA

    Hayes failed to live up to his draft status, mostly because he hasn't figured out how to defend in the NBA. The offensive talent is there, but not enough to offset his poor defense. At 23 years old next season, he'll be a nice low-cost flyer.

  15. Omer Yurtseven – Miami Heat    RFA

    After a really promising rookie season, Yurtseven went through a lost year after ankle surgery. But the potential is there. He can really score and he's a pretty good rebounder too. Look for him to get a make-good deal next season.

  16. Cody Zeller – Miami Heat    UFA

    Zeller re-emerged late in the season and showed he's healthy again. He can still finish in pick-and-roll and he's an ok rebounder. Zeller probably gets a backup job somewhere next season.

  17. Orlando Robinson – Miami Heat    RFA

    Robinson looked like the next Heat G League find, but an injury held him back a bit. Still, there's a ton of raw talent here. If Miami lets him go, someone else will stash Robinson on their bench to develop him next season.

  18. Luka Garza – Minnesota Timberwolves    RFA

    Garza is dominant on the G League level. He's basically unguardable. That hasn't fully translated to the NBA level, but Garza has shown flashes of being a good offensive five. Look for someone to give him that role more fully next year.

  19. Montrezl Harrell – Philadelphia 76ers    PLAYER

    Harrell is coming off a lost year with the Sixers. He was a late signing and never made a real impact. Harrell can score, especially as a rim runner and offensive rebounder. But his defense is too poor for minutes on a contender.

FRINGE TIER (UNRANKED AND PRESENTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

  1. Udoka Azubuike – Utah Jazz    UFA

    Between injuries and lack of opportunity, Azubuike remains a bit of an unknown for teams. The Jazz declined their fourth-year rookie scale option, so they may move on. But he can finish and rebound. He'll get another shot in the NBA.

  2. Ibou Badji – Portland Trail Blazers    RFA

    Badji had a left knee injury that cost him the bulk of his season. Yet, the Blazers didn't move on. That tells you Portland sees enough potential in the 7-foot-2 center that he'll probably be back on another two-way deal.

  3. Goga Bitadze – Orlando Magic    CLUB

    Bitadze caught on with the Magic after the Pacers did some trade deadline shuffling. He refocused on his game around the rim and looked pretty good. He'll be in the NBA next season, as someone will sign him as a flyer project.

  4. John Butler – Portland Trail Blazers    RFA

    Butler didn't do much in the NBA or the G League, but he's still an intriguing prospect. He has nice touch for a 7-footer and he's got some rim protection potential. He'll be on a two-way contract with someone.

  5. Willie Cauley-Stein – Houston Rockets    UFA

    Cauley-Stein got a late-season callup with the Rockets after an earlier 10-Day. That was a reward for his work in the G League, where he did a nice job for Houston's affiliate. He could snag an NBA deal, but opportunties are dwindling.

  6. Dewayne Dedmon – Philadelphia 76ers    UFA

    Dedmon looked rough with the Heat, before catching on the Sixers for the stretch run. In his mid-30s, it's pretty close to the end of the line for Dedmon, as he doesn't do enough well to even hold down a regular backup role.

  7. Gorgui Dieng – San Antonio Spurs    UFA

    Dieng is basically in the same boat as Dewayne Dedmon. He just doesn't do enough well in his mid-30s to keep a roster spot. He is a well-liked locker room guy though, so that could see him get another deal.

  8. Taj Gibson – Washington Wizards    UFA

    Gibson was a part-time rotation player for the Wizards this season. His play has fallen off enough that he's probably done. Like some of the other veteran centers, he could be back as an end-of-roster guy for leadership reasons.

  9. Willy Hernangomez – New Orleans Pelicans    CLUB

    Hernangomez always seems to produce when he gets minutes, but then struggles to hold onto those minutes. Mostly, he can rebound and score, but his lack of defense keeps Hernangomez firmly a third center role.

  10. Jay Huff – Washington Wizards    RFA

    Huff was pretty dominant in the G League, as he won their Defensive Player of the Year award. He's got good touch on his jumper too. Huff might be a classic late-bloomer. He deserves a real NBA look next season.

  11. Damian Jones – Utah Jazz    PLAYER

    Jones went from a rotation role with the Lakers to not playing to getting traded for the Jazz. He may pick up his option, unless he sees a way to land somewhere where he could play more next season.

  12. DeAndre Jordan – Denver Nuggets    UFA

    Jordan is pretty close to finished as a viable NBA player. He doesn't move well enough on either end of the floor to bring more than some inside banging and six fouls. It's been one heck of a run for him though.

  13. Frank Kaminsky – Houston Rockets    UFA

    Kaminsky had a couple of strong seasons with the Suns, but then really fell off this year. At his best, he's a good floor-spacer as a center. But defensive shortcomings tend to keep him as only a deep bench option.

  14. Alex Len – Sacramento Kings    UFA

    Len's had a weird season for the Kings. He went from barely playing most of the season to being the backup center as the playoffs approach. If he looks good in the postseason, Len could land himself a minimum deal next season.

  15. Meyers Leonard – Milwaukee Bucks    UFA

    Leonard already won by working his way back to the NBA. He's healthy and working past his off-court issue. He can still shoot and block some shots, so he's a nice backup option for the Bucks behind Brook Lopez for next year.

  16. Robin Lopez – Cleveland Cavaliers    UFA

    Lopez will be back on a roster somewhere, maybe with the Cavs, because he's beloved in the locker room. And he works hard to stay ready when his number is called. The real question: How much longer does he want to play?

  17. Sandro Mamukelashvili – San Antonio Spurs    RFA

    The Spurs did well to claim and convert Mamukelashvili. He played really well for them, and now they can control the free agency process a bit. Look for him to be back in San Antonio for next season on a team-friendly contract.

  18. Boban Marjanovic – Houston Rockets    UFA

    Marjanovic is everyone's favorite teammate. That alone will keep him in the NBA, but he's also someone you can put in for 10-15 minutes when other centers are out and you'll be fine.

  19. Neemias Queta – Sacramento Kings    RFA

    Queta has made no NBA impact, but he's been excellent in the G League. He's a good rim protector and rebounder, and a plus finisher inside. He's got potential, but he may top out as a very good G League center.

  20. Olivier Sarr – Oklahoma City Thunder    RFA

    Sarr is a little bit like Neemias Queta. He's been pretty good in his G League minutes, but hasn't shown much in the NBA. There may be some late-bloomer potential here, but it's starting to get late for that too.

  21. Tristan Thompson – Los Angeles Lakers    UFA

    Thompson was signed on the final day of the regular season, mostly because he's tight with LeBron James. He didn't look great last season, and it's hard to imagine he has much left to offer as he approaches his mid-30s.

 

2023 NBA Free Agent Trackers

All Positions |  Point Guards |  Shooting Guard  |  Small Forward  |  Power Forward  |  Center 


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