For my next ongoing off season segment, I decided to rank players at each respective position from top to bottom. The criteria that I’m using for this is selecting the projected starter at each position based on the current depth chart at ESPN.com. My reasoning for selecting from a universal database here is so I don’t hear gripes asking, “Are you a damn idiot!? Bosh is not a center, he’s a power forward!?!?!” Using this criteria will force some players to be left off. Some would consider Spencer Hawes to be in the top half of NBA centers, but by my criteria, Deandre Jordan will be the one defending the low post for the Clippers, so he gets the ranking. Get it? This will be completed over five segments from position to position, and possibly a sixth segment either ranking the best bench players, or the best benches by team. So we get the ball rolling with the center position.
Gone are the days of multiple hall of fame centers in the league at a time. The days of a player of an Alonzo Mourning caliber player just barely cracking the top 5 have dispersed and appear to never be coming back. This is the new age. The age where Robert Sacre can get significant grind at center without anyone asking, “Who the hell decided to let that guy check into the game?” What I did find from looking at the 30 starting centers in the NBA is that the top 5 or 6 are rather obvious locks. When you start to get to the mid-tier of players, however, guys can get swapped ten spots without having much of an argument to raise question.
Here’s how it breaks down ranking the top centers entering the 2014-15 season.
1. Joakim Noah – Chicago Bulls
Noah gets the top spot on this list being the all around energy guy. He brings everything you could want from a starting center, while lacking at literally nothing. Putting up a modest 12.6 ppg last season is okay for a defensive minded team like Thibedeau’s. He often times became the go-to scorer for the Bulls last season as they seriously lacked offense. All the other things he does, however, are what give him this ranking. He has a nose for the ball, finishing fourth in offensive boards, and double digit total rebounds. He is the best passing center in the league, finding open guys effectively out of the low post and high post. As the Bulls strengthened their roster, he should only get more dangerous. Noah really became the “do it all” guy for the Bulls in 2013-14. That won’t be necessary next season. Maybe his production would drop in a different system, but what Noah brings is irreplaceable for the Bulls.
2. Dwight Howard – Houston Rockets
Don’t get your panties in a bundle for me not giving the best center of this generation the top spot. Howard loses some points, by giving teams the opportunity to play hack-a-Dwight in waning minutes. It hurts your team to have the opportunity to get the ball to one of your best players with the clock winding down, if the defense can realize, “This guy is way more dangerous double-teamed in the post than he is wide open at the free throw stripe… FOUL HIM!!!!” While this aspect makes Rocket fans miss what Yao brought to the team, he’s still the most physically dominant center in basketball and a defensive beast. Howard did everything that a Rocket fan could hope for, following a season where he barely made the playoffs with what was supposed to be the best Superteam since LeBron’s Heat. Howard has garnered himself a group of haters rivaling the abhorrence that Doug Funnie got when moving from Nickelodeon to Disney in the 90’s. Dwight has taken it all in stride, continued to dominate, and become a cornerstone of a team that will be a contender for 5+ years.
3. Al Jefferson – Charlotte Hornets
Big Al produced a season last year that would have turned all sorts of heads if he wasn’t playing for the single most ignorable franchise in NBA history. Don’t worry, Horncats fans… you’re not the Bobcats anymore (in fact, if ya went with the name Horncats, you’d probably have one of the more popular franchises in hoops, just based on how awesome that team name is). Al Jefferson was able to dominate the low post better than any other center in basketball and he did it “old school” style. I went to a Thunder vs Bobcats game in February which made me really keep an eye on him the rest of the way. Jefferson took the ball down in the low post the way that many 90’s all stars would. Slow it down, take a couple dribbles, give an elbow fake and toss it in while the slow-ass center defending is still guarding the side he faked on. Big Al doesn’t have the talent of some of the guys behind him, but he sure knows how to use what he’s given.
4.Demarcus Cousins – Sacramento Kings
How does the most skilled center in basketball fall all the way to number four on this list? Cousins has the talent to be the greatest center of this generation, but his character issues have stopped him from reaching his plateau. He took his game to another level last season, increasing his numbers to make him statistically the best center in the league. Before he gets the title of a top 3 center Cousins needs to show that he can bring the Kings to another level. They don’t need to make the playoffs (it’s too difficult in the West right now with this roster). What Cousins does need to do is demonstrate that he can be the driving force in increasing the team’s total wins. The Kings haven’t gotten more than 30 wins in a season since 2007-08. Cousins isn’t totally to blame for the lack of improvement, considering the Kings lackluster front office, but it starts with him if he’s going to be a true franchise player.
5. Marc Gasol – Memphis Grizzlies
Gasol doesn’t show up on the stat sheet even close to what one would expect from a top five NBA center. His 10 rebounds per 48 minutes are minimal for a top NBA center and his near 14.6 points are less than desirable from your second best player on your team. The Grizzlies are a defensive team, and his effectiveness shows, even if not on the stat sheet. Gasol is the defensive anchor of a team that wouldn’t be a playoff team without his defensive intensity. Opponents fear driving to the basket because of Marc’s ability to get in the lane and disallow any good shot in the painted area. His presence might be inflated with terrific perimeter defense inspiring fear in outside shots, but Gasol is the anchor of the best defense in the league.
6. Chris Bosh – Miami Heat
Bosh was particularly difficult to place, because he’s not a typical center. A stretch the floor guy that played even more from the outside playing alongside LeBron wasn’t able to rack up the boards like one would like from a center. Statistically Bosh was at the top of his game in Toronto. Has his play really dropped off since then? If it has, it’s been a very minimal drop off. The stats from Bosh technically should increase to near what they were in his Toronto days as he’ll have to shoulder the load this coming season. Depending on just how good the Heat are, he could range anywhere from this spot to possibly being the best center in the league. He’ll have to earn it, though, by carrying Miami to 50+ wins as the main piece if he’s going to enter that conversation.
7. Deandre Jordan – Los Angeles Clippers
What keeps Deandre Jordan from being higher on this list is that his defense is a bit overblown by his highlight reel blocks. Jordan averaged a career high 2.5 blocks per game last season, but he’s not in the same stratosphere defensively as Howard, Gasol, and Noah despite averaging more blocked shots than all of those guys. His blocks are thanks to his immense athleticism, and often are awe inspiring with how high in the air the ball is before blocking it. His one-on-one defense in the post is nothing to write home about. He is quick to give his man space, trying to force guys to shoot over him so that he can get those jaw dropping blocks, and still allows guys to sneak around him with post moves despite the space he gives.
8. Andre Drummond – Detroit Pistons
Drummond, after playing just two NBA seasons, and entering the 2014-15 season at just 21 years old, Drummond has already proven enough to compete for a spot on Team USA for the FIBA World Cup. Offensively, he still needs to improve his back to the basket post game, as most of his offense comes from creating space and getting open looks and oops down low. His rebounds took a tremendous leap last season, partially having to do with a big increase in minutes played. Drummond will have an opportunity to move his way into the top five centers in the league this coming year, but much of it will have to do with how Stan Van Gundy can start to shape this Pistons team into a real competitor to build around Drummond.
9. Brook Lopez – Brooklyn Nets
Lopez’s injury history has been puzzling. In his first three seasons he played all 82 games each time. In the lockout season, Lopez suffered a foot injury, playing just 5 of 66 games. The following season, he had a healthy all star campaign. Then, last season, Lopez broke the same foot that he had hurt two seasons prior, playing in just 17 games. Lopez has shown when he’s healthy that he can flat out score, and has been a great scorer his entire NBA career. His rebounding has been much less promising, making double-doubles a rare occurrence for Lopez. He averages only 7.3 RPG in his career, and those numbers have been on a downward trajectory since his first two seasons. Of utmost importance is for Lopez to come back healthy, but to catapult himself into the top five centers in the league, he’ll need to become an effective rebounder playing alongside an aging Kevin Garnett.
10. Al Horford – Atlanta Hawks
Horford is in the same boat as Lopez displaying only slightly better health in the last three seasons and similar from a trending point of view. Horford played just 11 of the 66 games in the lockout season, played most of the following season, and then in 2013-14 was able to suit up for only 29 regular season games. When he has been on the court he has enforced his dominance, and the Hawks have been a much better team when he plays. The Hawks could be poised for a top 4 seed should he be healthy, or could miss the playoffs completely if he has another injury plagued season. Horford will have a lot to prove over the next two seasons, as if he shows that he can remain healthy and effective, he’ll be headed toward a big pay day on his next contract.
11. Marcin Gortat – Washington Wizards
12. Nikola Pekovic – Minnesota Timberwolves
13. Roy Hibbert – Indiana Pacers
14. Omer Asik – New Orleans Pelicans
15. Robin Lopez – Portland Trailblazers
11 through 15 features two guys who sorely underachieved last season. Lackluster would be an understatement in describing Hibbert, who many had as their defensive player of the year early in the year, and completely fell off on both ends midseason. Omer Asik spent much of the season pouting in Houston, as he backed up Howard, but will likely put himself right back in the top ten of NBA centers playing alongside fellow shot blocking big man, Anthony Davis next season. Gortat took his offensive game to another level last season demonstrating an ability to create his own offense for the first time in his career. Pekovic looks to be worth the payday that he got, as his game continues to improve. Lopez proved that a nice 2012-13 season in New Orleans was no fluke, and improved immensely rebounding the basketball, while also showing that he could at least hang, bangin’ it out with Howard down low in the playoffs.
16. Andrew Bogut – Golden State Warriors
17. Nikola Vucevic – Orlando Magic
18. Anderson Varejao – Cleveland Cavaliers
19. Jonas Valanciunas – Toronto Raptors
20. Tyson Chandler – Dallas Mavericks
Bogut would be higher on this list if he had a better track record at staying healthy. He missed 15 games last season which is great by his standards. His offense left a lot to be desired, scoring just over 7 points per game, but he was the cornerstone of a surprisingly good defense, and likely would’ve been a DPOY candidate, had he played about 75 games. Vucevic continues to improve his offensive game and the rebounding numbers have been nice, but some may question if he’s putting up empty stats on a poor Orlando team. His defense still has a long way to go, which keeps him from being higher on this list. Varejao will obviously benefit from having King James return, but needs to show he can stay healthy having been injury prone his entire career. Valanciunas has made strides, but his offense is still limited to his post moves. The dude cannot hit a jump shot. He could be a candidate to turn the corner as players typically show the most improvement between their second and third season. Tyson Chandler had a disappointing 2014 season, but a change of scenery back to Dallas may allow him an opportunity to return to elite rim protector status.
21. Miles Plumlee – Phoenix Suns
22. Jordan Hill – Los Angeles Lakers
23. Larry Sanders – Milwaukee Bucks
24. Tiago Splitter – San Antonio Spurs
25. Nerlens Noel – Philadelphia 76ers
Plumlee had one of the most surprising 2014 campaigns and will continue to improve with a young Suns team. Jordan Hill and Larry Sanders both had underwhelming seasons, but their per 36 numbers translate nicely. Hill got an $18 million pay day over the next two years, so he’ll have a lot to show to prove worthy of that, despite the fact that all centers are getting overpaid these days. Speaking of overpaid, Sanders was in the same boat, getting his extension, and immediately under performing and getting a reduced role after making his dough. Splitter is a nice system player, fitting in perfectly with Popovic’s system, just asked to plug into his role, much like Bonner, Oberto, McDyess, and Blair before him. Noel will be the most intriguing on this list. It’s difficult to judge rookies and much more difficult to judge rookies that haven’t played in over a year. My hunch is that Noel will end up being much better than the 25th best center in the league, but being unproven he gets this spot.
26. Enes Kanter – Utah Jazz
27. Samuel Dalembert – New York Knicks
28. Javale McGee – Denver Nuggets
29. Kendrick Perkins – Oklahoma City Thunder
30. Tyler Zeller – Boston Celtics
Down to the nitty gritty here. Kanter, is in that same boat as Valanciunas, as he’ll try to show that the fourth season is the breakout season for young big men. They were both selected in the same draft, but Valanciunas stayed overseas his first year, and so far has had the better NBA career. Dalembert, McGee, and Perkins have all been on a downward trajectory for a few years now. Dalembert has his fifth new team in as many years, as a guy who fills the gap down low, while teams search for their future center. McGee hasn’t played well since his initial big pay day, and has had a reduced role, averaging under 20 mpg when healthy, but missing almost the entirety of last season. Perk is still serviceable in some match ups, but will likely take a backseat rather quickly as the emerging Steven Adams is almost a lock to fill in the starting role at some point next season. Tyler Zeller is unlikely to even start next season for the Celtics, but I made the rules that I’m using ESPN depth charts as my basis for this series of posts and I’m sticking to it.
Stay tuned for power forward rankings, coming Wednesday, 8/13.
Dropping Dimes 
You have terribly underrated Tiago Splitter. He is a top 5 rim protector in the league. Look at his advanced defensive stats, particularly effective FG% around the rim. He also kills it in the pick and roll and is a top 3 post defender. Look how he stopped Dirk and LaMarcus in the 2014 playoffs.
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