2024 NBA Free Agency Preview: Ranking The Best Centers Available

After previously ranking the best PGs, SGs, SFs and PFs set to enter free agency this offseason, let's wrap up this series by highlighting the top 10 centers set to hit the open market:

1. Isaiah Hartenstein / New York Knicks / Unrestricted: 
I spilled plenty of ink last month explaining why the Knicks should do everything possible to re-sign iHart. He was one of just four players (along with Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis and Victor Wembanyama) to average more than nine rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block in 2024. (Among those four, iHart posted the highest FG%, the highest +/-, and the fewest turnovers). As we suspected, New York will have plenty of competition. Several outlets are reporting that the OKC Thunder are viewed as the main threat to poach him. The most the Knicks can offer Hartenstein is a four-year pact worth roughly $72.5 million. Other teams, such as OKC, can offer north of $100 million. 

2. Nic Claxton / Brooklyn Nets / Unrestricted: 

Claxton has been consistently productive on both ends of the floor over the past two years, averaging 12.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.3 blocks dating back to the start of the 2022-23 campaign. Brooklyn has made it known they want the big man back. "I think Nic is the No. 1 priority for us," GM Sean Marks told reporters in April. "There's no doubt about that. We hope he's a Net for a very long time. We hope we can continue to build around him and build with him and so forth." However, several teams with cap space this summer are in need of a starting center. In addition to the Thunder, the Pistons and the Magic could make a run at Claxton.  

3. Jonas Valanciunas / New Orleans Pelicans / Unrestricted:

Valanciunas started all 82 games for the Pels last season and averaged 12.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. However, he logged fewer than 20 minutes a night after the All-Star break, as New Orleans shifted away from learning on him as an offensive focal point. Consequently, many pundits have predicted he will relocate this offseason. "I'd be pretty surprised if he were back because of how they were treating his spot in the rotation late in the season," said Pels reporter Will Guillory of The Athletic.

4. Moritz Wagner / Orlando Magic / Team Option:

After the top three, there is a massive drop-off in the caliber of big men on the market... This past season, Wagner was efficient and effective off the bench, averaging 10.9 points and shooting over 60% from the floor. The Magic have an $8 million team option on Wagner, the brother of Franz (one of Orlando's franchise cornerstones). I could see Orlando picking up Mo's option and signing Franz to a lucrative long-term extension. 

5. Andre Drummond / Chicago Bulls / Unrestricted:

While no longer a starting-caliber center, Drummond has proven he's capable of being a quality bench contributor. Last season, he averaged 8.4 points and 9.0 rebounds per game for Chicago in just 17 minutes a night.