This article is part of our NBA Draft Kit series.
Over the course of the next week, RotoWire will roll out its annual Tiers series, grouping the fantasy-relevant players at each position by projected value. We'll release a position each day, beginning Monday with Centers and wrapping up with Point Guards on Friday.
READ: Power Forward Tiers
READ: Small Forward Tiers
READ: Shooting Guard Tiers
READ: Point Guard Tiers
The faces the center position have changed dramatically over the past few seasons. Just one player out of the five who I've pegged as "elite" fantasy talents appeared on an All-NBA or All-Star team two seasons ago (DeMarcus Cousins). The rest are relative newcomers.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Nikola Jokic were both second-year players last season. Rudy Gobert just completed his fourth season, but only became a full-time starter in 2015-16. Hassan Whiteside was drafted back in 2010 but didn't truly come into his own until 2015.
With the landscape of the position changing so quickly and dramatically, casual fantasy basketball players might gloss over some of the most important names out there. If you fall into that category, these tiers should help clear things up.
Tier I: The Elite
This is the group you should consider taking with your first or second selection. They're All-Star, or even superstar-caliber talent. Few players within this tier have significant weaknesses, and most are dominant in multiple statistical categories.Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves
Nikola Jokic, Nuggets
DeMarcus Cousins, Pelicans
Rudy Gobert, Jazz
Hassan Whiteside, Heat
Karl-Anthony Towns
The 2015-16
Over the course of the next week, RotoWire will roll out its annual Tiers series, grouping the fantasy-relevant players at each position by projected value. We'll release a position each day, beginning Monday with Centers and wrapping up with Point Guards on Friday.
READ: Power Forward Tiers
READ: Small Forward Tiers
READ: Shooting Guard Tiers
READ: Point Guard Tiers
The faces the center position have changed dramatically over the past few seasons. Just one player out of the five who I've pegged as "elite" fantasy talents appeared on an All-NBA or All-Star team two seasons ago (DeMarcus Cousins). The rest are relative newcomers.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Nikola Jokic were both second-year players last season. Rudy Gobert just completed his fourth season, but only became a full-time starter in 2015-16. Hassan Whiteside was drafted back in 2010 but didn't truly come into his own until 2015.
With the landscape of the position changing so quickly and dramatically, casual fantasy basketball players might gloss over some of the most important names out there. If you fall into that category, these tiers should help clear things up.
Tier I: The Elite
This is the group you should consider taking with your first or second selection. They're All-Star, or even superstar-caliber talent. Few players within this tier have significant weaknesses, and most are dominant in multiple statistical categories.Karl-Anthony Towns, Timberwolves
Nikola Jokic, Nuggets
DeMarcus Cousins, Pelicans
Rudy Gobert, Jazz
Hassan Whiteside, Heat
Karl-Anthony Towns
The 2015-16 Rookie of the Year burst onto the scene as a truly elite talent last season. He's a potentially transcendent player at the position and is essentially the archetype for the modern NBA center. While questions remain about his defensive ability, Towns still managed to average a combined 2.0 blocks and steals last season at age 21.
Ultimately, his numbers speak for themselves. Towns posted 25.1 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 54.2 percent from the field and hitting 1.2 threes per game at a 36.7 percent clip. That line also came with an impressive 83.2 percent success rate from the charity stripe.
While his offensive responsibilities could wane now that Jimmy Butler and Jeff Teague are in town, Towns is simply too talented to be dwarfed by surrounding talent. He should once again be a top-10 overall fantasy talent, with more than enough upside to warrant a top-five selection.
Nikola Jokic
Jokic burst onto the scene midway through last season once coach Michael Malone fully committed to running the Nuggets' offense through the big man. From Jan. 1 through the end of the season, Jokic averaged 19.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 5.8 assists and a combined 1.8 steals and blocks. He also shot 57.5 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from deep on 2.4 attempts per game.
Jokic is one of the most unique centers we've ever seen in the NBA, capable of scoring, as well as firing dimes from anywhere on the floor. The 22-year-old also put up six triple-doubles last season. Given his passing ability from the center slot, drafting him early means there's less pressure to pick up an elite-passing point guard, while others in your league scramble to do so.
DeMarcus Cousins
In what some consider to be one of the most lopsided trades in recent memory, Cousins was dealt from the Kings to the Pelicans at last year's deadline, joining Anthony Davis. There was some concern the two big men would absorb each other's stats, but that proved not to be the case.
After the trade, Cousins averaged 24.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.1 blocks in 33.8 minutes per game. While it's possible his assists take a slight dip due to the addition of Rajon Rondo alongside Jrue Holiday, it's difficult to imagine a scenario in which Cousins' fantasy value dips significantly.
Tier II: The High Impact
Players in this tier are usually marred by a significant flaw, preventing them from reaching elite status. In most fantasy formats, they should be considered with picks 25-50. If you've missed out on the mad dash to grab elite talent at center, these names still make for quite the consolation prize.DeAndre Jordan, Clippers
Andre Drummond, Pistons
Joel Embiid, 76ers
Myles Turner, Pacers
Marc Gasol, Grizzlies
Brook Lopez, Lakers
Jusuf Nurkic, Trail Blazers
Joel Embiid
The only reason Embiid doesn't fall within Tier I is his injury history. Embiid put together an impressive rookie campaign, averaging 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 2.1 assists across just 25.4 minutes per game. He also shot 46.6 percent from the field and made 1.2 threes per game at a 36.7 percent clip. The catch? He only played in 33 games, with a knee injury ending his season shortly after the All-Star break.
Drafting Embiid entails massive risk, to be sure. But the possible rewards are too great to pass up should he slide further than this tier on the draft board.
Myles Turner
Turner fits the mold of the prototypical modern center – he's athletic, he blocks shots, and he can stretch the floor.
The 2017-18 season looks like it could have the makings of a breakout campaign for Turner, as the Pacers' top two scorers from last season – Paul George and Jeff Teague – are no longer with the team. The Pacers didn't replace the pair with high-caliber offensive talent, either.
With Indiana firmly in rebuilding mode, and Turner having the most upside on the roster, his opportunities within the offense should increase.
Jusuf Nurkic
After falling out of favor in Denver, Nurkic was dealt to the Trail Blazers at the deadline. He almost immediately came into his own in Portland, averaging 15.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.3 steals in 29.2 minutes per game.
While he was, and will continue to be, the third offensive option behind Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, Nurkic is nonetheless an impact offensive player. His free throw shooting may be an issue, as he shot just 66.0 percent after the trade. That said, considering everything else he does on the floor, problems at the charity stripe shouldn't prevent Nurkic from having top-10 center potential.
Tier III: The Upper-Mid-Tier
While still impactful, these players often don't dictate success or failure of their team on a night-to-night basis. These are the guys worth considering with picks 45-80. If you haven't drafted a center and these are the names at the top of the board, now's the time to pull the trigger.Al Horford, Celtics
Nikola Vucevic, Magic
Dwight Howard, Hornets
Marcin Gortat, Wizards
Jonas Valanciunas, Raptors
Clint Capela, Rockets
Al Horford
Horford had an intriguing and unusual 2016-17 campaign. He averaged a career-low 6.8 boards, but also a career-high 5.0 assists per game. His scoring also took a slight dip from 15.2 to 14.0 points per game.
With the addition of Gordon Hayward, who excels with the ball in his hands, Horford's role is somewhat up in the air heading into the season. It's unclear whether he'll still be tasked with significant distribution duties, or if the ball will find itself in the hands of Hayward and Isaiah Thomas more often.
Even if Horford's role changes,, it seems doubtful he'll see a dip in fantasy value, as he may transition back to being more of a traditional scorer and rebounder. His shooting efficiency could also rise as a result of the weapons around him.
Dwight Howard
Howard has worn out his welcome everywhere he's played since stepping foot into the Lakers' locker room back in 2012.
While Howard's scoring has dropped each year since 2013-14, his field-goal percentage has steadily risen, and he capped last season shooting better than 63 percent. He's also remained between 10.5 and 12.7 rebounds per game in each of the last four seasons. However, he's not the shot blocker he used to be, averaging a career-low 1.2 rejections per game last season.
Chemistry issues and some declining numbers aside, Howard is still an imposing physical presence and is essentially a lock to play close to 30 minutes a night. He's nowhere near the force he once was, but he still posted a double-double in 53 of 74 games last season.
Clint Capela
Capela has steadily improved since making his debut back in 2014-15. His production topped off last season at 12.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 assist in only 23.9 minutes per game. While he played just 65 games last season while recovering from a fractured fibula, he more than demonstrated his potential as the perfect rim-running, rebounding center for the Rockets' fast-paced offense.
He could be in line for a bigger role next season given that Houston traded away Montrezl Harrell in the Chris Paul deal. Capela still might not crack 30 minutes per game but he's already proven capable of racking up solid numbers in somewhat limited action.
Tier IV: The Strong Role Players
If you're lucky enough to snag an elite center talent early in the draft, you can likely wait until later to take another. Whichever way you slice it, players in this tier are often somewhat interchangeable. They tend to be non-scorers, non-rebounders, or non-defenders, deficiencies that ultimately limit their overall impact.Steven Adams, Thunder
Enes Kanter, Thunder
Tristan Thompson, Cavaliers
Tyson Chandler, Suns
Nerlens Noel, Mavericks
Greg Monroe, Bucks
Willie Cauley-Stein, Kings
Pau Gasol, Spurs
Willy Hernangomez, Knicks
Greg Monroe
Monroe accepted a bench role with the Bucks last season, but produced well in limited action. In his 22.5 minutes per game, Monroe managed averages of 11.7 points, 6.6 boards, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals.
Monroe didn't play big minutes often, but excelled when he did, posting 17.7 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 57.6 percent from the field in games when he saw at least 30 minutes.
Willie Cauley-Stein
Cauley-Stein emerged after the DeMarcus Cousins trade, creating a vacuum at the center slot. After the All-Star break, Cauley-Stein garnered 30.9 minutes, which he translated to 12.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game.
While he isn't a great scorer, the 24-year-old has demonstrated upside as a rebounder and defender. He's also a willing passer, registering five games last season with at least five assists, all of which occurred after the Cousins trade.
Due to Sacramento's fair center depth, it's somewhat difficult to predict Cauley-Stein's exact role next season, though his heavy second half workload indicates that management believes in his long-term potential.
Willy Hernangomez
Hernangomez was the primary, and perhaps the only, beneficiary of Joakim Noah's disastrous and injury-plagued 2016-17 campaign. After Feb. 27, Hernangomez averaged 11.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and a combined 1.2 steals and blocks per game, providing a few bright spots in an otherwise gloomy Knicks season.
Noah, who averaged just 5.0 points and 8.8 rebounds last season, still must serve 12 games of his 20-game suspension to begin next season, so the starting job will seemingly be Hernangomez's to lose following Noah's return. Even if he ends up returning to the bench during the season, Hernangomez's potential is too high for the Knicks to keep him off the floor in favor of the aging Noah.
Tier V: The Rest
There could be a sleeper hiding in the mix, but selecting any of these players during a typical draft is essentially taking a gamble on a leap in production or unforeseen increase in role.Frank Kaminsky, Hornets
Alan Williams, Suns
Alex Len, Suns
Dewayne Dedmon, Hawks
Timofey Mozgov, Nets
Robin Lopez, Bulls
Bismack Biyombo, Magic
Jahlil Okafor, 76ers
