NBA Free Agents 2011: Nene and UFAs Guaranteed To Receive Inflated Contracts

In the NBA and at basically every level of basketball, no position is more scarce than center. There is a real lack of quality in terms of big men across the league, and because of that, teams are willing to pay a premium for talented, or even semi-talented centers.

There will be very few decent interior players on the market when free agency starts in December, and because of that they will likely get paid well beyond their true value. Here are three unrestricted free-agent centers that will receive inflated contracts in comparison to their play on the court.

Samuel Dalembert—Sacramento Kings

Sacramento Kings center Samuel Dalembert has long been the subject of trade rumors due to his reputation as a good defensive center, but he has only played for two teams during his nine-year career. With the Kings leaning toward youth, Dalembert could find himself in a new locale this season, though.

The former Philadelphia 76ers first-round pick has been considered one of the league's better shot blockers for quite some time as he has averaged at least 1.5 blocks per game in each of the past eight seasons. His limits on the offensive end make him a one-dimensional player, however.

Dalembert has averaged more than 10 points per game in a season just twice and is more often around eight points per game. While he is certainly a great defensive specialist, Dalembert is likely to be paid like an elite center due to scarcity. Dalembert will contribute, but he won't be worth the contract he inevitably lands.

Tyson Chandler—Dallas Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks center Tyson Chandler has had a very up-and-down career, but he has long been considered to be a great defensive presence. At 7'1", Chandler is adept at blocking and altering shots, and his presence was most certainly felt in the Mavs' run to the NBA Championship last season.

Seeing as Chandler was one of the new additions to the Mavericks last season, he was given a lot of credit for the title. With that in mind, teams will likely be champing at the bit to sign him. Chandler had one of the best years of his career last season with 10 points per game, 9.4 rebounds per game and one block per game, so he should be in line for a huge pay day.

The fact of the matter is that Chandler has shown flashes of greatness over the course of his career only to drop off the following year, though. There is no telling whether he will be able to maintain the level of play he exhibited in the playoffs last season, but somebody will certainly pay him as if he will.

Nene—Denver Nuggets

Make no mistake, when Denver Nuggets center Nene is healthy and playing, he can be a major contributor to a winning team. The issue is, however, that Nene has struggled with injuries throughout his career, and while he may not always miss games, he is rarely at 100 percent.

Nene missed just seven games last season and maintained his usual average of 14.5 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game and one block per game. From 2004-05 to 2007-08, though, Nene played in just 136 games over the course of four seasons. Some may argue that he is over his injury woes, but that is little more than an assumption.

If a team pays Nene for his production, then they will have to break the bank. There is no question that he can be dominant when healthy, so I think somebody will certainly take the chance. It could very well backfire, though, as he isn't likely to become less injury prone as he advances in age.