Top NBA free-agent centers: Would Myles Turner really leave an NBA Finalist?

Yahoo

5 hours ago

The NBA's runners-up have some business to tend to in a surprisingly deep — for this year's class — positional group.
Let's break down the potential top available centers in this year's free-agent market, with the negotiating window opening at 6 p.m. ET June 30.
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(Note: Positions are being determined off Basketball-Reference's positional breakdowns, meaning a player will be listed at the position in which he played the most minutes.)
Free-agent position rankings: Point guards | Shooting guards | Small forwards | Power forwards
1. Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers
Status: Unrestricted free agent
Rule of thumb: When you've been historically underpaid, you're the starting center for a Finals team, you're one of the best defenders in the league, and you're in your prime, you're in line for a raise.
Turner, one of the league's most potent 3&D centers, has undergone an offensive transformation over the past few years, to the point where the Pacers cannot lose him.
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What makes sense: With not a lot of money on the market, and the fact that both sides seem motivated to continue their partnership, expect Turner and Indiana to find common ground on a new deal that looks significantly richer than the ones before.
2. Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves
Status: Player option
Value of option: $15,022,464
There's no question some teams will view Reid as a starting center, especially given his touch from the outside. Yet, the Wolves have used him in a backup capacity throughout his career, which makes you wonder if Reid himself is open to chasing a starting role.
Reid is ingrained in the local community and seems to genuinely treasure being a Timberwolf. Of course, that doesn't mean he'll just sign whatever is in front of him, but it does seem likely he could be willing to sacrifice something to stick around.
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What makes sense: The best path forward could be to wait until next summer by picking up his option and hope more teams have money to spend. That also gives him another year of data to determine whether he indeed wants to be a career backup.
3. Brook Lopez, Milwaukee Bucks
Status: Unrestricted free agent
Lopez might be 37. He might be slow. He might be declining. But the man is still a physical behemoth who will clog the paint, block shots and drain a ton of 3-pointers.
Those are valuable marks in today's NBA, even if Lopez doesn't necessarily fit into the 'switch everything' ideology. As such, there should be a market for a team, especially among good teams looking for someone reliable who has championship experience.
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What makes sense: Staying with the Bucks another year isn't a bad play, but if Lopez is looking for another title run, he'll have to look outside of the organization and identify a team that's closer.
4. Clint Capela, Atlanta Hawks
Status: Unrestricted free agent
Capela is getting older and less dynamic, but he's still a tough rebounder who challenges shots at the rim and remains a solid lob threat.
While his compensation level will diminish due to his age and a starting role no longer being a sure thing, plenty of teams should give him a look.
What makes sense: The Los Angeles Lakers will unquestionably have internal meetings about Capela, considering his theoretical fit with Luka Dončić. Should that be the path Capela chooses, there's a world where he once again will produce impressive box scores.
5. Moritz Wagner, Orlando Magic
Status: Team option
Value of option: $11,000,000
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Wagner tore his ACL in December, so we should see teams offer him deals that greatly benefit them in terms of flexibility.
If we assume he returns to full health, Wagner immediately becomes one of the best backup scoring big men in the league, with the capability of stretching the floor and providing necessary spacing.
What makes sense: Despite the injury and the fact that he could be an unrestricted free agent next summer, the Magic should try to keep him long term. Perhaps Wagner is inclined to agree to a longer deal worth less money than he's earning now in the hope that he can bounce back after his injury.
6. Guerschon Yabusele, Philadelphia 76ers
Status: Unrestricted free agent
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Using last year's Olympics as a display window, Yabusele made the most of his NBA return, becoming a key offensive contributor for the Sixers.
The 29-year-old, affectionately known as The Dancing Bear, is at a stage in his career when optimizing his own salary and role should be his top priority.
What makes sense: Yabusele should hear out the Sixers but absolutely seek the biggest payday possible, regardless of team, since he's closing in on 30. For a guy like him, who can occasionally play recklessly, securing his own future is the goal.
Best of the rest
Jaylin Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder
Status: Team option
Value of option: $2,187,699
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Williams, who was drafted in the second round in 2022, is in an interesting situation. If the Thunder pick up his option, he'll enter 2026 as an unrestricted free agent. If they don't, he'll become a restricted free agent this summer. Williams is a solid talent, even if he isn't playing a ton of minutes. The 6-foot-9 big man has multiple double-doubles to his name, which underlines the vastness of his skill set. Plenty of teams should have an eye on him.
Andre Drummond, Philadelphia 76ers
Status: Player option
Value of option: $5,000,000
One of the greatest rebounders of his generation can dictate his own future, but the market for him hasn't been strong these past few years.
If he sticks in Philadelphia, it's likely he'll get a ton of minutes should Joel Embiid not be available.