NBA Free Agency 2025 Preview: Ranking the Best Centers Available

Highlighting the top 10 centers set to hit the open market next summer...

Having already ranked the best PGs, SGs, SFs and PFs expected to enter free agency next summer, let's wrap up this offseason series by highlighting the top 10 centers set to hit the open market in July of 2025:

1. Alperen Sengun / Houston Rockets / Restricted
Sengun is coming off an incredibly impressive 2023-24 campaign, in which he averaged 21.1 points (on 53.7% shooting), 9.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. He became just the sixth player in NBA history to average 20/9/5 while shooting above 53% from the floor, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (2x), Giannis Antetokounmpo (6x), Wilt Chamberlain (3x), Nikola Jokić (4x) and Domantas Sabonis (once). Sengun accomplishing this feat before turning 22 years of age is remarkable. Thus, it's surprising that the Rockets have not yet inked him to a max contract extension. If Houston does not lock him up before Opening Night, he will be a restricted free agent next summer. 

2. Rudy Gobert / Minnesota Timberwolves / Player Option
The Wolves received plenty of heat for trading five first-round picks for Rudy back in 2022 (including from yours truly), and the swap looked awful early on. Yet, Minnesota felt much better about the blockbuster last season when Gobert helped lead Minny to 56 wins by averaging 14.0 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. He was named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year for the fourth time in his career, as Minnesota led the league in Defensive Efficiency (the Wolves were the only team in the NBA to allow fewer than 110 points per 100 possessions). The 32-year-old Gobert will pocket $43 million in 2024-25 and can accept or decline a player option worth $46 million ahead of the 2025-26 season.

3. Myles Turner / Indiana Pacers / Unrestricted
The Pacers locked up several of their key cogs this offseason. They inked T.J. McConnell and Andrew Nembhard to extensions. They re-signed Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin. However, they are unable to extend their starting center. Per the current CBA, he is not eligible to sign an extension because his most recent contract is for two years. Thus, he will hit the market as an unrestricted free agent next July and have plenty of interested suitors.

4. Naz Reid / Minnesota Timberwolves / Player Option
Reid bet on himself last summer, signing a three-year, $41.9 million contract with Minnesota that includes a player option for the final season. It most certainly paid off for the big man, as he posted career-highs across the board, averaging 13.5 points and 5.2 rebounds while shooting 47.7% from the floor and 41.4% from three-point territory in just 24.2 minutes per game en route to winning the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award. Reid's player option for 2025-26 is worth $15 million. The Wolves would love to hold onto him but are already bumped up against the second apron. They may be unable to keep all three of Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert and Reid.