NBA Free Agents 2016: Ranking the Top 5 Players at Every Position
If your favorite NBA team covets a small forward to shore up the wings this summer, you're in luck. Between Kevin Durant and the many other talents at the position, there's plenty of (presumably) available help.
Similar stories unfold at shooting guard, power forward and center, though there's more depth than top-tier talent at those lineup spots. It's point guard that's most problematic, since only one available player should start on most teams.
We're interested in the best of the bunch and are not just looking at how strong each player will be in 2016-17 or the potential values of their contracts. Instead, we want to know who will provide the most high-quality production over the course of the next deal, factoring in age, expected improvement and current level of play.
No. 5 Point Guard: Matthew Dellavedova
1 of 25
Current Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Age: 25
Type of Free Agency: Restricted
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 7.5 points, 2.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.1 blocks
Don't be fooled by Matthew Dellavedova's dwindling role in the playoffs.
Even though the Cleveland Cavaliers have turned more exclusively to Kyrie Irving in the NBA Finals, that's hardly unexpected in a league that often sees rotations shrink during the most crucial outings. Plus, Dellavedova has been mired in a shooting slump, which makes it tougher to justify handing him significant minutes with the season on the line.
Throughout the campaign, the young point guard has shown off his improved skills.
He's a deadly shooter from beyond the arc, so long as he isn't asked to create his own looks too frequently. He's also an improving passer who can now do far more than just lob the ball up in a hopeful alley-oop attempt. As a pesky defender, his positioning has been significantly better during his third season.
Dellavedova isn't anything more than a top-notch backup, but that's still valuable—especially given the inherent weakness of this summer's point guard class.
Honorable Mention: Raymond Felton (unrestricted), Brandon Jennings (unrestricted), Ty Lawson (unrestricted)
No. 4 Point Guard: Deron Williams
2 of 25
Current Team: Dallas Mavericks
Age: 31
Type of Free Agency: Player option (will decline, per ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon)
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 14.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.2 blocks
Deron Williams is never going to turn back the clock and start playing like his old self—you know, the one who made All-Star teams for the Utah Jazz and New Jersey Nets while in discussions about the league's best floor generals.
But that's fine.
Whoever signs him won't ask him to be a star, so much as a consistent offensive threat who can still leverage his size into occasional bursts of quality perimeter defense. The veteran point guard remains a dangerous player in pick-and-roll sets, capable of torturing a defense with long-range bombs, athletic drives and deft passes while on the move.
Of course, he needs to be surrounded by the right pieces. That's true for every player but doubly so for this version of Williams, who has trouble staying healthy and effective for long stretches.
Decreasing pressure and allowing him to remain in working order is of paramount importance; otherwise, he'll continue to trend in the wrong direction—just as he's done each of the last three seasons.
No. 3 Point Guard: Jeremy Lin
3 of 25
Current Team: Charlotte Hornets
Age: 27
Type of Free Agency: Player option (will decline, per Cleveland.com's Chris Haynes)
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 11.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.5 blocks
Lost in the lack of noise surrounding Jeremy Lin is the simple fact that he's now a far different player than back with the New York Knicks. During that breakout bout of Linsanity, he averaged 4.8 turnovers per 36 minutes; this year, that number dwindled to a minuscule 2.6.
Lin has figured out his ideal role and how to thrive in it.
He's a terrific pick-and-roll threat who excels at getting to the basket and scoring while keeping his eyes open and searching for teammates on the perimeter. Best suited for a sixth-man spot in the rotation, he can utilize his quickness and craftiness in shorter stretches while expending more energy on the defensive end. For the first time in years, he wasn't a glaring liability there.
While Lin is no longer a sexy name playing for the Charlotte Hornets, his improvements and the steady nature of his play make him one of the better options among this year's weak crop of free-agent point guards.
No. 2 Point Guard: Rajon Rondo
4 of 25
Current Team: Sacramento Kings
Age: 30
Type of Free Agency: Unrestricted
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 11.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 11.7 assists, 2.0 steals, 0.1 blocks
Let's begin with the good.
Rajon Rondo is one of the league's best distributors, and he paced the NBA in dimes during the 2015-16 campaign. His vision and creativity are nearly unparalleled, and that ability to see the court also helps him beat bigger players to rebounds and transition opportunities. He shot 36.5 percent from beyond the arc—the sixth consecutive season his three-point percentage has improved.
Now, the bad.
Rondo was one of the best defenders at his position during his prime years with the Boston Celtics, but he doesn't seem to remain focused on that end anymore. According to ESPN.com's defensive real plus/minus, he was a below-average defender in 2015-16 and checked in at No. 32 among point guards, sandwiched between Jose Calderon and Cameron Payne.
He also has a tendency to chase assists at the expense of making the proper play, which is troubling in conjunction with his limited scoring ability.
That all evens out to make Rondo a tantalizing option in free agency, so long as a team knows exactly what it's getting. He needs to be paired with solid floor-spacing options and strong interior defenders, as well as a head coach who's both willing and able to hold him accountable.
No. 1 Point Guard: Mike Conley
5 of 25
Current Team: Memphis Grizzlies
Age: 28
Type of Free Agency: Unrestricted
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 15.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.3 blocks
Even though Mike Conley played in only 56 games before an Achilles injury ended his season prematurely, he left little doubt he was one of the league's better point guards. He's still residing in that underrated category as a floor general who can make a distinct two-way difference on any given night.
According to NBA Math's total points added metric, Conley added more in those 56 outings than all but a dozen of the league's 1-guards. Prorate his numbers to a full 82-game campaign, and he'd leapfrog past three of them to trail only Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Kyle Lowry, Kemba Walker, Damian Lillard, John Wall, Isaiah Thomas and Reggie Jackson.
There's no shame in that, and no other point guard hitting the open market this summer came even close to such a ranking.
Conley is the lone 1 who should be mentioned in the same sentence as "max contract" during the coming offseason.
No. 5 Shooting Guard: Eric Gordon
6 of 25
Current Team: New Orleans Pelicans
Age: 27
Type of Free Agency: Unrestricted
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 15.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.3 blocks
Distinguishing between Eric Gordon the free agent and Eric Gordon the New Orleans Pelican is vital.
The latter has seen his reputation hampered by constant injuries and the albatross of a contract he initially signed when becoming a bayou resident. He's thus framed as a disappointment who never lived up to the massive potential he exhibited while with the Los Angeles Clippers.
The former is a 27-year-old shooting guard who's proved he's one of the league's better perimeter options. In 2015-16, Gordon took 6.5 three-point attempts per game and connected at a 38.4 percent clip. That was actually the least efficient he'd been over the last three seasons.
In today's NBA, a shooter such as Gordon has incredible value on the open market, so long as teams are willing to look past his history. Considering his age and the possibility he might find even more perimeter success while playing for someone with additional offensive options surrounding him, teams should be willing to do exactly that.
Honorable Mention: Jordan Clarkson (restricted), J.R. Smith (player option), Dion Waiters (restricted)
No. 4 Shooting Guard: Evan Fournier
7 of 25
Current Team: Orlando Magic
Age: 23
Type of Free Agency: Restricted
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 15.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 steals
"One of our biggest, if not our biggest [priorities], is to make sure Evan stays with us, and we're confident we'll be able to do that," Orlando Magic general manager Rob Hennigan said of re-signing Evan Fournier, per Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.
That goal is going to take a large sum of money.
Fournier has asserted himself as a quickly improving scorer who can produce points both as a spot-up shooter and a shot-creating ball-handler. According to NBA.com's SportVU data, he finished in the 75.1 percentile on spot-up plays, the 57.6 percentile as a pick-and-roll handler, the 84.2 percentile in isolation and the 90th in transition.
That combination is quite valuable, especially since Fournier should only keep getting better as he gains more comfort in a leading role.
No. 3 Shooting Guard: Bradley Beal
8 of 25
Current Team: Washington Wizards
Age: 22
Type of Free Agency: Restricted
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 17.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.2 blocks
Bradley Beal's NBA career has been a bit disappointing to a certain extent.
Ever since he was drafted out of Florida with the No. 3 pick in 2012, he's been a quality contributor for the Washington Wizards. However, his development has stagnated in recent years, plagued by a lack of non-shooting skills and stress injuries that keep forcing him into lengthy rehab stints. He's still only 22 years old but was already supposed to be so much more.
That won't stop Beal from earning max money this summer.
"I want to be valued the right way," he told reporters in Japan, per Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post. "I feel like I'm a max player and that's what I'm looking for. If Washington can't meet that requirement then I may be thinking elsewhere."
What gives him such confidence? His shooting ability.
In the modern NBA, having a 2-guard who can knock down at least 38 percent of his three-point attempts while taking no fewer than four per game is invaluable. Beal has done so during each season of his four-year professional career.
No. 2 Shooting Guard: DeMar DeRozan
9 of 25
Current Team: Toronto Raptors
Age: 26
Type of Free Agency: Player option (will decline, per Cleveland.com's Chris Haynes)
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 23.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.3 blocks
Though DeMar DeRozan may not fit perfectly into the pet schemes of 2016's NBA, his talents still make him a viable piece and a potential building block for competitive organizations.
He's a deft scorer from mid-range, more comfortable pulling up for difficult jumpers than spotting up on the perimeter. He can also fill a distributing role rather easily, though he's often hesitant to take on such responsibilities in lieu of leading the scoring charge.
Additionally, DeRozan possesses the athletic gifts and requisite length to become a quality wing defender, even if that hasn't yet happened. In order to justify the inevitable gaudiness of his next contract—whether it's in a new location or with the Toronto Raptors—he'll need to show far more discipline on the defensive side.
This shooting guard hasn't produced like a max player—don't be fooled by his scoring average or the impressive nature of his per-game line. But he has the talent to do so in the right system.
No. 1 Shooting Guard: Dwyane Wade
10 of 25
Current Team: Miami Heat
Age: 34
Type of Free Agency: Unrestricted
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 19.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.6 blocks
When you're playing as if you're back in your prime every single time you take to the court, maybe you're actually still in your prime.
Such is the case for Dwyane Wade, who successfully activated his time machine during the Miami Heat's playoff adventure. After staying healthy enough to play in 74 regular-season games and reassert himself as an adequate defensive presence, Wade averaged 21.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.9 blocks during the playoffs while shooting 46.9 percent from the field and a staggering 52.2 percent from beyond the arc.
The knees that have plagued him in previous seasons looked like they'd never been problematic. He was locked in on defense. He exploded to the basket on a number of occasions. He even drilled plenty of tough shots from beyond the arc, making five more treys during the postseason than he did throughout the regular campaign.
It appears Wade is back. And even if he regresses to the level he was at prior to the league's second season, that's still rather valuable.
No. 5 Small Forward: Harrison Barnes
11 of 25
Current Team: Golden State Warriors
Age: 24
Type of Free Agency: Restricted
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 11.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.2 blocks
This is all about potential.
Harrison Barnes has been rather disappointing for the Golden State Warriors, especially when throwing up some stinkers on the biggest stages. But he's still spent a significant amount of time operating as a valuable role player, leveraging his skills while becoming a quality spot-up shooter who can crash the boards, play multiple positions and defend with versatility.
The above stat line doesn't scream "max contract," and yet the Dubs could match any offer he gets as a restricted free agent. Sean Deveney has more for Sporting News:
"The Warriors have the right to match any offer, though, because Barnes is a restricted free agent. One source within the organization pointed out that [Joe] Lacob and the Warriors owners have, indeed, said all along that he will pay to keep a winning team together, and that has not changed.
As an outsider NBA general manager told Sporting News, 'I think that all along that they were not going to let him go unless they fell down and didn’t win it all. It might just be that they’re trying to push down offers, but that’s the message.'
"
It's also easy to speculate that Golden State doesn't want Barnes' potential breakout to occur in a different location. There's still lots of untapped potential lying dormant here, even if he has been limited to a quaternary role on offense.
Honorable Mention: Kent Bazemore (unrestricted), Luol Deng (unrestricted), Evan Turner (unrestricted)
No. 4 Small Forward: Chandler Parsons
12 of 25
Current Team: Dallas Mavericks
Age: 27
Type of Free Agency: Player option
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 13.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.3 blocks
"Certainly, he's a young player in his prime with upside, but those are conversations that I think we'll have at the right time. He's been a big part of the fabric that we've built here. But again, it's a question of how many dollars and injury status and things like that," Dallas Mavericks president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said about Chandler Parsons' upcoming free agency, per Mavs.com's Earl K. Sneed.
Thanks to his ability to make quality contributions in just about every facet of the game, Parsons has been an integral part of the Mavericks during his brief Dallas tenure.
Even though he was dealing with nagging injuries and started slowly in 2015-16, he still helped his squad improve whenever on the floor. Though the team was outscored by 0.7 points per 100 possessions when he wasn't playing, the net rating jumped to 0.5 when he was.
NBA Math's TPA confirms this wasn't a context-driven impact. It gives him a score of 67.14 in just 61 appearances, which leaves him trailing only 68 players and places him right behind Greg Monroe, Chris Bosh and Nikola Vucevic.
No. 3 Small Forward: Nicolas Batum
13 of 25
Current Team: Charlotte Hornets
Age: 27
Type of Free Agency: Unrestricted
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 14.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.6 blocks
Take a gander at the full list of qualified players who have averaged at least 14 points, six rebounds and five assists during any of the last 10 seasons:
- Nicolas Batum
- Kobe Bryant
- Michael Carter-Williams
- Kevin Durant (twice)
- Blake Griffin
- James Harden
- Andre Iguodala
- LeBron James (10 times)
- Russell Westbrook (twice)
That's an exclusive group, especially if we take Michael Carter-Williams and Andre Iguodala out of the equation for achieving the feat on squads that didn't advance to the postseason. This last campaign by Batum was rather special, as the Charlotte Hornets managed to unlock his two-way potential while deploying him as one of the team's primary ball-handlers.
It may seem like Batum has been around forever, but he's still only 27 years old. There's a chance for further improvement, and he's already performing at the level of a player who deserved more hype for an All-Star berth.
No. 2 Small Forward: Kevin Durant
14 of 25
Current Team: Oklahoma City Thunder
Age: 27
Type of Free Agency: Unrestricted
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.2 blocks
Even if there's a high likelihood he remains with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant is the No. 2 free agent regardless of position. It's no fault of his own, as he remains one of the five best players in the world and is coming off yet another fantastic season.
Remember those health concerns after he suffered a series of foot injuries? It appears those can be firmly dispelled after he submitted marvelous per-game numbers while shooting 50.5 percent from the field, 38.6 percent from beyond the arc and 89.8 percent from the charity stripe.
Yes, Durant came tantalizingly close to joining the vaunted 50/40/90 club (again) while scoring over 28 points per game. He also still found time to dominate on the glass and thrive as a distributor. He's an asset on the defensive end, as well as a star with plenty of on-court intangibles.
Objectively, he may as well be the definition of a max player, and he's still firmly in the midst of his prime. The only reason he's ranked No. 2 here is that there's someone else who's just slightly more productive.
No. 1 Small Forward: LeBron James
15 of 25
Current Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Age: 31
Type of Free Agency: Player option
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 25.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.8 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.6 blocks
LeBron James has used the NBA Finals to remind everyone just how dominant he can be.
Down 3-1 heading into Game 5, he exploded for 41 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and three blocks, only turning the ball over twice while peppering the Golden State Warriors with a barrage of long-range buckets.
During the Finals as a whole, he's now averaging 28.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 2.4 steals and 2.0 blocks while shooting 49.6 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc.
When properly motivated, James can still turn on the gas better than anyone else. He's averaged 25.5 points, 9.5 boards, 7.3 dimes, 2.3 steals and 1.1 rejections throughout the playoffs, knocking down 53 percent of his field-goal attempts in the process.
He's the league's most complete player, as well as its most dominant individual, even if Stephen Curry had the best individual campaign in 2015-16. Sure, he's likely to opt out and immediately re-sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers. But he's technically going to be a free agent, and no one else could be No. 1 right now.
No. 5 Power Forward: Donatas Motiejunas
16 of 25
Current Team: Houston Rockets
Age: 25
Type of Free Agency: Restricted
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 6.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.1 blocks
"D-Mo is the type of guy who can have an impact in so many different areas. He's skilled enough to pass. He's skilled enough to score. And he can knock down shots," former Houston Rockets interim head coach J.B. Bickerstaff told the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen after Donatas Motiejunas' first playoff game of 2016. "He's a different type of threat on the floor."
The consistent production hasn't been there yet, but Motiejunas has also been hampered by injuries and adjustments as the Rockets try to carve out an identity. His 2014-15 numbers are more telling—12.0 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 50.4 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from downtown.
It's the 25-year-old's enduring skill set that's so intriguing. Motiejunas can swing a game's fortunes on both ends of the court, showing off an ability to protect the rim even if he's not asserting himself as a perimeter or interior scorer.
Even if he doesn't become a star, he's capable of filling so many different roles in a dizzying array of potential landing spots—though keep in mind the Rockets can match any offer sheet he signs.
Honorable Mention: Jared Dudley (unrestricted), Ersan Ilyasova (team option), Terrence Jones (restricted)
No. 4 Power Forward: Marvin Williams
17 of 25
Current Team: Charlotte Hornets
Age: 29
Type of Free Agency: Unrestricted
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 11.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.0 blocks
Charlotte Hornets head coach Steve Clifford figured out how to use Marvin Williams: stop pretending he can masquerade as a small forward, even for shorter stretches.
Instead, allow him to serve as a stretch 4 capable of raining down treys against any opponent who makes the unfortunate mistake of leaving him open on the perimeter. That applies to the defensive end as well, since Williams became a quality rim protector when patrolling the paint.
NBA Math's TPA numbers show just how far he's come in the last four years:
| 2012-13 | Minus-35.98 | Minus-9.81 | Minus-45.79 |
| 2013-14 | 15.95 | Minus-9.56 | 6.39 |
| 2014-15 | Minus-31.47 | 70.81 | 39.34 |
| 2015-16 | 79.24 | 46.61 | 125.85 |
It's time to stop thinking of Williams as a draft bust. He's reinvented himself.
No. 3 Power Forward: Jared Sullinger
18 of 25
Current Team: Boston Celtics
Age: 24
Type of Free Agency: Restricted
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 10.3 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.6 blocks
As Gary Washburn explained for the Boston Globe back in March, Jared Sullinger became a different player in 2015-16:
"While he looks about the same as he did last season, Sullinger appears to be in the best shape of his career, and fatigue is no longer an issue in the second halves of games.
And in his case, it’s probably because of his size, which isn't fair. Some players can be effective carrying more weight, and Sullinger is proving to be one of those players. What he has done to offset his size is working on the key aspects of his game. He has improved dramatically as a perimeter shooter and reduced his propensity for attempting three-pointers.
"
Sullinger has become a solid mid-range contributor, often excelling when he takes free-throw-line jumpers or two-point attempts from the wings. He's also continued to throw around his girth, positioning himself for rebounds while becoming a better distributor and a vastly improved defender.
The Ohio State product wasn't just taking up space on defense in 2015-16. By virtually ever metric out there, he was an impact stopper—ESPN.com's DRPM, for example, had him ranked as the league's No. 33 defender.
No. 2 Power Forward: Ryan Anderson
19 of 25
Current Team: New Orleans Pelicans
Age: 28
Type of Free Agency: Unrestricted
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.4 blocks
Ryan Anderson isn't going to lose his primary skill any time soon after establishing himself as one of the NBA's most dangerous frontcourt snipers. In 2015-16, he took 5.4 three-point attempts per game and hit them at a 36.6 percent clip, and that was actually one of his worst campaigns.
To put that in perspective, Anderson was still one of just 15 qualified players to match or exceed both numbers.
The power forward has plenty of quality outings left in the tank, and he'll only be aided by an organization that can offer more stability. The constant injuries and overall lack of offensive talent on the New Orleans Pelicans forced him to take a larger role, and he wouldn't be drawing quite this much defensive attention on a more competitive squad.
If Anderson is able to become more of a specialist, he should return to being one of the best in the business. Lest we forget, he shot 39.1 percent from downtown while launching 6.5 treys per game from 2011 through 2014.
No. 1 Power Forward: Dirk Nowitzki
20 of 25
Current Team: Dallas Mavericks
Age: 37
Type of Free Agency: Player option
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 18.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.7 blocks
Dirk Nowitzki hasn't committed to anything yet, but he does seem to be leaning toward opting out and re-signing with the Dallas Mavericks on a longer contract.
"Since I felt great and played sort of decent, I might opt out and maybe sign a two- or three-year deal," the German power forward told Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. "We'll see how it goes, but that's probably the plan for now."
Nowitzki saying "sort of decent" is akin to selling himself sort of short.
Though his contributions were more limited and fell well shy of his career marks, he still shot 44.8 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from beyond the arc while drawing plenty of defensive attention. There's a reason the Mavericks scored an additional 7.2 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor—and an extra 20.3 during the short-lived playoff run.
Nowitzki will remain an offensive force until he retires, and it doesn't seem like that's happening any time soon.
No. 5 Center: Pau Gasol
21 of 25
Current Team: Chicago Bulls
Age: 35
Type of Free Agency: Player option
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 16.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 0.6 steals, 2.0 blocks
Pau Gasol may be showing up earlier than you might expect.
After all, his per-game numbers look incredible. He was a double-double machine for the Chicago Bulls and even represented the Windy City during the All-Star Game. Most defensive metrics say he was a quality presence in 2015-16. You could make a serious argument that he had a better season than many other bigs hitting the open market this summer.
But we're talking about future value, and two major factors detract from his.
First, Gasol minimizes what the rest of his teammates can do by virtue of his own limitations. He's a diverse contributor on offense, but his feet look like they're stuck in molasses on the defensive end. That forces teams to build schemes around such weakness. He's good in his limited role, but his limited role hampers the team as a whole.
Second, Gasol will celebrate his 36th birthday in early July. Though his game should continue to age well, it's tough to justify giving him a long-term deal for fear of a sharp and unpredictable decline.
Honorable Mentions: Bismack Biyombo (player option), Tim Duncan (player option), Joakim Noah (unrestricted)
No. 4 Center: Dwight Howard
22 of 25
Current Team: Houston Rockets
Age: 30
Type of Free Agency: Player option
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 13.7 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.6 blocks
Don't be fooled by Dwight Howard's tarnished reputation.
Even though it seems like the veteran center is now a decisively negative locker room presence, a constant source of drama on the court and an endless target for negative stories in the press, he's still a valuable contributor. He doesn't deserve to be a go-to option on offense, but he's a dominant rebounder who remains capable of playing fantastic defense.
For all the negativity, Howard grabbed more than 20 percent of the available rebounds when he was on the floor and submitted a 1.8 defensive box plus/minus. Here's the full list of qualified players who were able to match or exceed each of those numbers in 2015-16:
- Bismack Biyombo
- Rudy Gobert
- Dwight Howard
- DeAndre Jordan
- Hassan Whiteside
Only two of those five also scored at least 13 points per game—Howard and the next man in the countdown.
No. 3 Center: Hassan Whiteside
23 of 25
Current Team: Miami Heat
Age: 27
Type of Free Agency: Unrestricted
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 14.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 0.4 assists, 0.6 steals, 3.7 blocks
Even though we could easily wax poetic about Hassan Whiteside's incredible rejection figures, it's better to avoid focusing on the numbers here. Doing so would be a disservice to the big man's 2015-16 campaign.
Whiteside improved dramatically throughout the year. He became more comfortable calling his own number on offense. Rather than serving solely as a pick-and-roll threat who could clean up trash in the half-court set, he became more of a go-to option. By the end of the year, he had confidence working with his back to the basket and started knocking down more mid-range jumpers.
The defensive improvement was even more obvious: Early in the season, it was tough to tell if the Miami Heat played better defense with or without Whiteside. For all his shot-blocking habits, he often chased swats at the expense of making the proper play, meaning he was constantly out of position. This forced others to exert extra energy covering up for his mistakes as best they could.
By the end of 2015-16, everything had clicked. He altered countless shots, deterred opponents from driving into the paint and realized he didn't have to make contact in order to play high-quality defense.
If that mentality sticks, Whiteside could become a bona fide superstar.
No. 2 Center: Al Horford
24 of 25
Current Team: Atlanta Hawks
Age: 30
Type of Free Agency: Unrestricted
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 15.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.5 blocks
Few players matched each of the five components of Al Horford's incredibly unique 2015-16 per-game line. Paul Millsap was the only other to do so.
During the last decade, Josh Smith, Tim Duncan, DeMarcus Cousins, Kevin Garnett, Marc Gasol and the two Atlanta Hawks bigs are the only players to meet each of the qualifiers. It's nearly impossible to contribute so well in so many different areas, even if Horford doesn't stand out in any individual category.
As Zach Lowe explained for ESPN.com, he's formed an ideal big-man pairing with Millsap for head coach Mike Budenholzer's Hawks:
"Horford and Millsap do a better job than you'd expect, given their height, patrolling the basket. They are the best-of-both-worlds frontcourt: enough shooting to spread the floor on offense, enough beef to anchor a top-flight defense. And against teams with shaky-shooting point guards, Budenholzer is happy to let them sit further back—or even switch more often if the assignments fit.
"
Horford is one of the more underrated players in the league, and he's consistently asserted himself as a truly elite center. Only his relatively advanced age prevents him from holding down the top spot in these rankings.
No. 1 Center: Andre Drummond
25 of 25
Current Team: Detroit Pistons
Age: 22
Type of Free Agency: Restricted
2015-16 Per-Game Stats: 16.2 points, 14.8 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.4 blocks
Andre Drummond is by no means perfect, but it's not hard to envision him continuing his ascent up the center hierarchy. He's still just 22 years old and coming off a season in which he served as the Detroit Pistons' centerpiece while helping end the Motor City's lengthy playoff drought.
He's already become the league's best rebounder, dominating on both types of glass despite the differing skill sets required. He's also growing as a scorer, though his arsenal remains limited.
Drummond should continue working on his post-up skills once operating under his next contract. According to NBA.com's SportVU data, those back-to-the-basket plays made up 27.5 percent of his offensive possessions, but he finished the regular season in only the 26.9 percentile.
Defense is also an area of concern, as the center can often find himself out of position. Of course, so is his free-throw shooting (career 38 percent shooter and 35.5 percent last season).
But Drummond has plenty of time to hone these skills. He's already an invaluable presence in the four-out, one-in schemes, and that's the primary reason it should take approximately 1.2 seconds into the free-agency period for the Pistons to offer him a max deal.
Adam Fromal covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @fromal09.
Unless otherwise indicated, all stats are from Basketball-Reference.com or NBAMath.com.
