With the NBA filing a lawsuit against the players' association, and the owners seemingly in favor of losing the season in hopes of breaking the players, it's anyone's guess as to when we'll see NBA action again. My guess is the season will be lost entirely, although I'm certainly hoping that's not the case. Regardless, here's a look at the Top 25 centers entering the new fantasy season. And if you missed the PG, SG, SF and PF columns, they're easily accessible by clicking on the "Archives" link above.
Follow me on Twitter by clicking here 1.
Dwight Howard Magic
We say the same thing about Dwight every year. If you don't want to wreck your free throw percentage and turnovers, he's not worth drafting early. However, if your league doesn't count TOs and uses free throws made, he's possibly the No. 1 pick in your draft. But you simply cannot ignore his rebounding and shot blocking, although his scoring generally leaves something to be desired. You know what you're getting with Howard, he doesn't get injured, and at some point Stan Van Gundy is going to have to make him the focal point of the offense. But where you want to draft him is a personal decision, based on your overall strategy. If you are good with punting free throw percentage, there's no reason to be afraid of him.
2.
Al Jefferson Jazz
Jefferson will have to deal with rookie
Enes Kanter at some point, but he should be a very solid fantasy center again. He didn't miss a game last year and returned third-round value in most leagues. And that's where you should target him.
3.
Marcin Gortat Suns
Gortat was traded to the Suns last year and finally took over the starting job from
Robin Lopez on March 27. And when he was a starter for them, he helped carry fantasy teams down the stretch by averaging a ton of minutes, as well as 15 points, 12 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in his final 11 games. It's a small sample size, but we all know he can play and he looks like a great fit for the Suns. His free throw shooting improved in Phoenix (73 percent), but he only had five steals in those 11 games. Gortat should have a big year and be a very safe fantasy pick at center.
4.
Al Horford Hawks
I listed Horford with the power forwards last time around, which was probably a mistake, as he is clearly the starting center for the Hawks. He plays through injuries, is getting better every day and won't hurt your free throw shooting. He's only going to block one shot per game, but if the Hawks ever deal
Josh Smith and get a true center, Horford's stock will skyrocket. But even if things remain status quo in the ATL, Horford is as reliable as they come.
5.
DeMarcus Cousins Kings
Samuel Dalembert is an unrestricted free agent, which should clear the way for Cousins to take over at center for the Kings. He played in all but one game and averaged close to 14 points, 9 boards, a steal and a block per game as a rookie. And his one game missed was due to disciplinary reasons by the Kings, and not an injury. He might be a bit of a head case, but the talent is there and he should be vastly improved this season.
6.
Brook Lopez Nets
We made Lopez our personal whipping boy last season, as he routinely struggled to rebound the ball and generally struggled for an awful team. His rebounds fell from 8.7 to 6.0 per game, which is laughable, while he also posted 20 points and 1.5 blocks per game. He's simply not a guy who has a hunger for rebounding, and while he could bounce back this time around, I also wouldn't be surprised to see him continue struggling to rebound the ball. He never averaged more than 6.8 rebounds in any month of last season.
7.
Marc Gasol Grizzlies RFA
Pau's brother had a fine year and only missed one game. He disappeared for stretches during the season, while
Zach Randolph gobbled up many of his rebounds. As a result, his rebounding could be better (7 per game), but he's a decent free throw shooter, scored 12 points per game and averaged nearly two blocks per game. He's also young enough that he should become more consistent going forward.
8.
Andrew Bynum Lakers
Bynum's injury history is obviously a big concern, while having to share the ball and paint with
Kobe Bryant and
Pau Gasol doesn't help matters. His games played over the last four seasons are reminiscent of
Greg Oden, although not quite as dreadful – 35, 50, 65 and 54 games is all we've gotten from Bynum. The numbers are fine, but his knees are far from reliable, and he is a true risk vs. reward draft pick, as usual. But if he can ever squeeze 75 games out of a season, he could be the best fantasy center in the game.
9.
Roy Hibbert Pacers
Hibbert's playing time was constantly screwed with by Jim O'Brien last year, but the good news is he has a new coach in Frank Vogel. He also displayed solid skills last season and has played in 81 games in each of his last two, averaging around 13 points, 7.5 boards and 2 blocks per game last year. He was much better in the first half of last season, before Obie tired of using him, but we expect Vogel to give him a fresh start. And really, the Pacers don't have many other options in the middle. Hibbert should be a very safe fantasy pick this season.
10.
JaVale McGee Wizards
This dude might love
planking (click this) more than playing NBA basketball, but when he gets it going, he's a freakish athlete for such a big guy. He had a laughable triple-double (with blocks) last season, when he was taking ridiculous shots, turning it over, and doing everything in his power to hit the mark, regardless of what his teammates were doing. But in fantasy circles, it was all good. And he still averaged 10 points, 8 boards and 2.4 blocks last season, and had nine games in which he blocked between 5 and 12 shots. I don't know that you can rely on him as your No. 1 center, but owning him should help you secure blocks on a weekly basis. And he's only going to get better.
11.
Greg Monroe Pistons
Monroe is another guy I listed with the power forwards, but he's set to start at center for the Pistons this season. He quietly played in 80 games as a rookie, averaging 9.4 points, 7.5 boards, 1.2 steals and 0.6 blocks. It's also important to remember that his numbers nearly doubled after the All-Star break, as he got a boost in minutes and averaged 14 points, 10 boards, 1.6 steals and 0.8 blocks the rest of the way. He'll have a new coach in the form of Lawrence Frank, which should also work in his favor, and is a true sleeper at center this season.
12.
Andrew Bogut Bucks
Bogut peaked in December of last year, averaging nearly 16 points, 12 boards, a steal and 3 blocks per in 12 games that month. He made it through just 65 games last season while recovering from arm injuries suffered in a fall just before the playoffs started the previous year, and then underwent right elbow surgery, ending his season in early April. He also has a historically bad back, and while visions of him consistently putting up numbers like he did last December are dreamy, the fact remains he's missed 76 games over the last three seasons.
With the NBA filing a lawsuit against the players' association, and the owners seemingly in favor of losing the season in hopes of breaking the players, it's anyone's guess as to when we'll see NBA action again. My guess is the season will be lost entirely, although I'm certainly hoping that's not the case. Regardless, here's a look at the Top 25 centers entering the new fantasy season. And if you missed the PG, SG, SF and PF columns, they're easily accessible by clicking on the "Archives" link above.
Follow me on Twitter by clicking here 1.
Dwight Howard Magic
We say the same thing about Dwight every year. If you don't want to wreck your free throw percentage and turnovers, he's not worth drafting early. However, if your league doesn't count TOs and uses free throws made, he's possibly the No. 1 pick in your draft. But you simply cannot ignore his rebounding and shot blocking, although his scoring generally leaves something to be desired. You know what you're getting with Howard, he doesn't get injured, and at some point Stan Van Gundy is going to have to make him the focal point of the offense. But where you want to draft him is a personal decision, based on your overall strategy. If you are good with punting free throw percentage, there's no reason to be afraid of him.
2.
Al Jefferson Jazz
Jefferson will have to deal with rookie
Enes Kanter at some point, but he should be a very solid fantasy center again. He didn't miss a game last year and returned third-round value in most leagues. And that's where you should target him.
3.
Marcin Gortat Suns
Gortat was traded to the Suns last year and finally took over the starting job from
Robin Lopez on March 27. And when he was a starter for them, he helped carry fantasy teams down the stretch by averaging a ton of minutes, as well as 15 points, 12 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in his final 11 games. It's a small sample size, but we all know he can play and he looks like a great fit for the Suns. His free throw shooting improved in Phoenix (73 percent), but he only had five steals in those 11 games. Gortat should have a big year and be a very safe fantasy pick at center.
4.
Al Horford Hawks
I listed Horford with the power forwards last time around, which was probably a mistake, as he is clearly the starting center for the Hawks. He plays through injuries, is getting better every day and won't hurt your free throw shooting. He's only going to block one shot per game, but if the Hawks ever deal
Josh Smith and get a true center, Horford's stock will skyrocket. But even if things remain status quo in the ATL, Horford is as reliable as they come.
5.
DeMarcus Cousins Kings
Samuel Dalembert is an unrestricted free agent, which should clear the way for Cousins to take over at center for the Kings. He played in all but one game and averaged close to 14 points, 9 boards, a steal and a block per game as a rookie. And his one game missed was due to disciplinary reasons by the Kings, and not an injury. He might be a bit of a head case, but the talent is there and he should be vastly improved this season.
6.
Brook Lopez Nets
We made Lopez our personal whipping boy last season, as he routinely struggled to rebound the ball and generally struggled for an awful team. His rebounds fell from 8.7 to 6.0 per game, which is laughable, while he also posted 20 points and 1.5 blocks per game. He's simply not a guy who has a hunger for rebounding, and while he could bounce back this time around, I also wouldn't be surprised to see him continue struggling to rebound the ball. He never averaged more than 6.8 rebounds in any month of last season.
7.
Marc Gasol Grizzlies RFA
Pau's brother had a fine year and only missed one game. He disappeared for stretches during the season, while
Zach Randolph gobbled up many of his rebounds. As a result, his rebounding could be better (7 per game), but he's a decent free throw shooter, scored 12 points per game and averaged nearly two blocks per game. He's also young enough that he should become more consistent going forward.
8.
Andrew Bynum Lakers
Bynum's injury history is obviously a big concern, while having to share the ball and paint with
Kobe Bryant and
Pau Gasol doesn't help matters. His games played over the last four seasons are reminiscent of
Greg Oden, although not quite as dreadful – 35, 50, 65 and 54 games is all we've gotten from Bynum. The numbers are fine, but his knees are far from reliable, and he is a true risk vs. reward draft pick, as usual. But if he can ever squeeze 75 games out of a season, he could be the best fantasy center in the game.
9.
Roy Hibbert Pacers
Hibbert's playing time was constantly screwed with by Jim O'Brien last year, but the good news is he has a new coach in Frank Vogel. He also displayed solid skills last season and has played in 81 games in each of his last two, averaging around 13 points, 7.5 boards and 2 blocks per game last year. He was much better in the first half of last season, before Obie tired of using him, but we expect Vogel to give him a fresh start. And really, the Pacers don't have many other options in the middle. Hibbert should be a very safe fantasy pick this season.
10.
JaVale McGee Wizards
This dude might love
planking (click this) more than playing NBA basketball, but when he gets it going, he's a freakish athlete for such a big guy. He had a laughable triple-double (with blocks) last season, when he was taking ridiculous shots, turning it over, and doing everything in his power to hit the mark, regardless of what his teammates were doing. But in fantasy circles, it was all good. And he still averaged 10 points, 8 boards and 2.4 blocks last season, and had nine games in which he blocked between 5 and 12 shots. I don't know that you can rely on him as your No. 1 center, but owning him should help you secure blocks on a weekly basis. And he's only going to get better.
11.
Greg Monroe Pistons
Monroe is another guy I listed with the power forwards, but he's set to start at center for the Pistons this season. He quietly played in 80 games as a rookie, averaging 9.4 points, 7.5 boards, 1.2 steals and 0.6 blocks. It's also important to remember that his numbers nearly doubled after the All-Star break, as he got a boost in minutes and averaged 14 points, 10 boards, 1.6 steals and 0.8 blocks the rest of the way. He'll have a new coach in the form of Lawrence Frank, which should also work in his favor, and is a true sleeper at center this season.
12.
Andrew Bogut Bucks
Bogut peaked in December of last year, averaging nearly 16 points, 12 boards, a steal and 3 blocks per in 12 games that month. He made it through just 65 games last season while recovering from arm injuries suffered in a fall just before the playoffs started the previous year, and then underwent right elbow surgery, ending his season in early April. He also has a historically bad back, and while visions of him consistently putting up numbers like he did last December are dreamy, the fact remains he's missed 76 games over the last three seasons.
13.
Tyson Chandler Mavericks UFA
Chandler had somewhat of a breakout season, averaging 10 points, 9.4 boards and just over a block per game for the champs. He's not a great free throw shooter, but has improved and won't do too much damage to fantasy teams there. His scoring is the big problem, and it's not going to get better any time soon for a stacked Dallas team.
14.
Nene Nuggets UFA
I tend to sleep on Nene every year, but he's become a very reliable fantasy center, playing in 75, 82 and 77 games in his last three seasons. He consistently puts up around 15 points, seven boards, a steal and a block per game, but there's a catch. He's an unrestricted free agent and we have no idea where he'll be playing. And if he lands on a team with a solid center and power forward already in place, he could take quite a hit. If we knew he'd be back in Denver, I'd have him ranked much higher.
15.
Andrea Bargnani Raptors
I've made no secret that I am a Bargnani fan, due to his 3-point shooting, shot-blocking potential and ability to score, but he's not exactly loved in Toronto. They would love to move him, while his biggest problem last year was that his blocks disappeared, dropping from 1.4 to just 0.7 per game. His scoring was up to a solid 21.4 points per game, but his rebounding was atrocious, coming in at just 5.2 per game. He's going to have some big games, but centers that don't rebound or block shots will end up hurting your team in the long run. Getting him in the middle rounds makes a lot more sense than grabbing him early, as you can get 3-pointers from other positions.
16.
Joakim Noah Bulls
Noah was hurt by a couple things last year. First of all, he played in just 48 games while dealing with thumb surgery and a bum ankle, after battling a nasty case of plantar fasciitis the year before (64 games). He also had to fight for rebounds and production with
Carlos Boozer, who was signed as a free agent last summer. Noah still averaged a double-double in his 48 games, but his injury history has become a disturbing pattern, while he'll still have to try to figure out how to play with Boozer.
17.
DeAndre Jordan Clippers RFA
Chris Kaman still plays for the Clippers, which is a problem if you want to draft Jordan. But he's young, and while somewhat raw, should be an absolute beast on the boards and with blocks this season. He played in 80 games and averaged seven points, seven boards and 1.8 blocks per game in just 25 minutes per game. With Kaman getting older and the Clips getting younger, they would be wise to start Jordan and bump his minutes up to over 30 per game this season. And if it happens, those numbers should be closer to 10 points, 11 boards and 2.5 blocks per game. Just know he's a disaster at the free throw line.
18.
Emeka Okafor Hornets
Okafor hasn't exactly been a bust, but he also hasn't lived up to the hype that surrounded him early in his career. He averaged around 10 points, 9 boards and 2 blocks per game in each of the last two seasons, making him a serviceable fantasy center. He's also a terrible free throw shooter, which doesn't help his low ranking.
19.
DeJuan Blair Spurs
Gregg Popovich has been reluctant to turn Blair loose, playing him just 18 minutes per game as a rookie, and 21 as a sophomore. Despite the lack of minutes, he still averaged 8 points and 7 boards last season, but blocked just 0.5 shots per game. It's time for Popovich to take him off the leash, start him, and let him run for 30-plus minutes per game. There's some risk involved with drafting Blair, as usual, but this
should be his breakout season.
20.
Anderson Varejao Cavaliers
Varejao played in just 31 games last season due to a torn tendon in his right ankle that required surgery. He should come back healthy this year and start for the Cavs. He averaged nearly 9 points, 10 boards and more than a block per game, and should bounce back this season.
21.
Darko Milicic Timberwolves
Darko was tagged 'Manna from heaven' by David Kahn last season, and while he had some decent games, it seemed like he was usually suffering from a bum ankle or two. He played in 69 games, averaging around 9 points, 5 boards and 2 blocks per before being shut down for five of the season's final six games. His bum ankles negated his ability to block shots down the stretch, but he was still worth owning in most leagues. Like most everyone else, he should come into the new season fully healthy and still start at center for the Wolves. And since Kahn still loves him, he's going to get minutes. Let's just hope the production follows, and that he can stay healthy, as he'll have value, especially in two-center leagues.
22.
Greg Oden Blazers RFA
Oden is rehabbing after another knee surgery and it's unknown when he'll play again. And we should probably even stretch that out to 'if' he plays again. But the Blazers are keeping the faith and Oden's ability to rebound and block shots make him worth a late flier if reports are positive once the new season is on the horizon.
23.
Marcus Camby Blazers
Camby is ancient, clocking in at 37 years old, and might be 38 before we have NBA action again. He's also an injury waiting to happen and played in just 59 games last season. If Oden is healthy, it's going to hurt Camby, who appears to be heading to a bench role due to his aging legs and body. He'll still have the potential to score, board and block shots, but he is no longer a reliable fantasy center.
24.
Kendrick Perkins Thunder
Perkins struggled with a fairly serious knee injury for most of the season and averaged just 5 points, 8 boards and a block in 17 games for the Thunder.
Serge Ibaka's ability to board and block hurts Perkins, while his health could continue to be an issue. But he should also have plenty of time to get his knee back to health, and could be a nice get late in your draft. Just don't expect him to score much.
25.
Chuck Hayes Rockets UFA
Hayes had a great year and was a valuable fantasy pickup off the waiver wire. I don't trust him though, and his season still felt like a fluke to me. Add to that the fact we don't know where he's going to play next season, and he's a guy I'd probably recommend staying away from until the final round of your draft. Having said that, we simply can't ignore the fact he averaged 8 points, 8 boards, a steal, nearly three assists and a block per game. Of course, it was also a contract year for the big man, who easily shot a career-best 66 percent from the line.
The RestChris Kaman Clippers – Injuries a concern, while Jordan's coming on.
Samuel Dalembert Kings UFA – Could crack Top 20 depending on where he lands.
Spencer Hawes Sixers RFA – Ripping Stern on Twitter, consistently disappointing.
Ekpe Udoh Warriors – A lot of upside, but depends on health of
Andris Biedrins.
Andris Biedrins Warriors – Injured for 3 years, terrible numbers & FT shooting.
Jermaine O'Neal Celtics – Chronically injured, but only C option in Boston.
Timofey Mozgov Nuggets – With Nene leaving, could be a nice sleeper.
Enes Kanter Jazz – Promising rookie, but Jefferson's in the way.
Reggie Evans Raptors UFA – Great rebounder, but no offense or blocks.
Kwame Brown Bobcats UFA – Still
Kwame Brown.
Brendan Haywood Mavericks – Clearly in Ty Chandler's shadow.
Chris Andersen Nuggets – Could be nice with no Nene. Shot blocker.
Nikola Pekovic Timberwolves – If Darko stumbles, worth a look.
Brad Miller Timberwolves – Over the hill, will back up in Minny.
Ronny Turiaf Knicks – Injury concerns, lack of offense hurts.
Mehmet Okur Jazz – Too many bigs in Utah, achilles still recovering.
Josh McRoberts Pacers UFA – Has some potential, but not enough.
Nenad Krstic UFA – Off to Europe for two years.