Ranking the NBA Centers

by coolcatreportdotcom on Feb 22, 2009 11:17 PM PST Comment 19 comments

One of the posters on the Ranking the Kings Players thread asked for a similar analysis of the NBA centers. Let's take a look:

RNK	Player	Min	PER	MIN*PER
1	Dwight Howard, ORL	36.3	25.7	933
2	Al Jefferson, MIN	36.7	23.3	854
3	Pau Gasol, LAL	36.7	22.1	811
4	Yao Ming, HOU	32.8	23.3	764
5	Zach Randolph, LAL	35.9	19.7	707
6	David Lee, NYK	35.5	19.0	675
7	Marcus Camby, LAC	33.5	20.1	674
8	Shaquille O'Neal, PHO	30.3	21.7	658
9	Emeka Okafor, CHA	33.9	19.2	652
10	Mehmet Okur, UTH	35	18.5	648
11	Andris Biedrins, GSW	31	20.6	640
12	Nene, DEN	32.7	19.3	629
13	Chris Kaman, LAC	35.5	16.8	595
14	Andrew Bynum, LAL	29.1	20.1	586
15	Al Harrington, NYK	34.8	15.2	529
16	Brook Lopez, NJN	29.9	17.5	523
17	Al Horford, ATL	31.8	16.4	521
18	Zydrunas Ilgauskas, CLE	27.1	19.1	517
19	Andrew Bogut, MIL	31.2	16.6	517
20	Rasheed Wallace, DET	33.5	14.9	499
21	Brad Miller, CHI	31.5	15.8	498
22	Jermaine O'Neal, MIA	29.7	16.1	477
23	Marc Gasol, MEM	29.9	15.9	475
24	Tyson Chandler, NO	31.1	14.1	439
25	Greg Oden, POR	22.9	17.8	408
26	Andrea Bargnani, TOR	30.5	13.2	403
27	Matt Bonner, SAS	23.5	16.6	391
28	Kendrick Perkins, BOS	28.7	13.2	379
29	Erick Dampier, DAL	23.6	15.8	373
30	Andray Blatche, WASH	23.3	15.9	370
31	Joel Przybilla, POR	22.1	15.9	351
32	Joakim Noah, CHI	21.6	15.3	330
33	Spencer Hawes, SAC	27.4	12.0	329
34	Samuel Dalembert, PHI	24.8	12.9	320
35	Nenad Krstic, OKC	23.1	12.8	296
36	Roy Hibbert, IND	12.2	17.1	209

You can certainly disagree with the list. Generally I tried to identify a team's starting center. In some cases I listed two. I have no idea who the Knicks center is, and I don't think they do, either. They started Jared Jeffries last night.

It's pretty much the same with the Clippers with Kaman out.

I also listed both Noah and Brad Miller for the Bulls. Brad didn't shoot much tonight in his Bulls debut, but he did grab 10 rebounds in 19 minutes.

Oden and Pryzbilla man the Portland middle in a center-by-committee setup. Not much difference in their stats, and if you add them together they move up near the top of the list.

You'll notice Spencer down towards the bottom of the listings. Yes, I know, he's 20. So is Brook Lopez. But Al Jefferson was also 20 and riding pine not that long ago, and he's turned out pretty good. I guess we'll just have to take it a day at a time. Among the other good young centers, Horford and Biedrins are both 22.

I also listed Pau Gasol as a center as that's what he's playing since Bynum is hurt. Naturally there are other guys like Duncan who are forward-centers. Al Jefferson is another in that camp.

There really are a lack of real superstars at the center position, but there's quite a few solid starters.

(This is a FanPost from a member of the Sactown Royalty community. The views expressed come from the member, and not Sactown Royalty staff.)

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Maybe Miami should have seen this before signing JO.

Miller make half the salary, has a higher score, and out performed O’Neil in their first outings for their new teams.

"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom

by HighTops on Feb 22, 2009 11:54 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Honestly

I still don’t understand that trade. A couple deadline stuff were head scratchers for me. Not even the Rafer Alston trade made complete sense on Houston’s part (unless your sure Lowry is ready to go).

Donte? Donte'! Donté?!?!
'spect da 'xtra E'

by iashwash on Feb 23, 2009 1:58 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Lowry is good and Alston is getting older

I like the trade for both teams.

by Aykis16 on Feb 23, 2009 4:28 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

How long is the Rockets window?

Yao Mings career? TMacs career? Ron-Ron’s temperament?

Banking on Kyle Lowry is asking alot. Now, I know Alston isn’t PG#1, but he proved last year to be a fighter and a player very important to their winning, so… I guess I’m saying I don’t know. I’m not saying the trade didn’t make any sense, but in some regards I’m iffy about it (namely whether Lowry/Brooks are ready to take over).

Donte? Donte'! Donté?!?!
'spect da 'xtra E'

by iashwash on Feb 23, 2009 5:06 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Trading Alston

made room for Aaron Brooks? Maybe that’s not his name, but made room for the young PG they already have that they like and the Kings had been trying to get with Artest.

by ForThree on Feb 23, 2009 5:48 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

4 3 nailed it

It was exactly about Aaron Brooks, and less about Kyle Lowery.

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

I am the stone that builder refused..I am the visual...The inspiration..That made lady sing the blues....I'm the spark that makes your idea bright.....The same spark that lights the dark....So that you can know your left from your right...I am the ballot in your box....The bullet in your gun...The inner glow that lets you know...To call your brother son....The story that just begun...The promise of what's to come...And I'm 'a remain a soldier till the war is won....

by pookeyguru on Feb 23, 2009 9:58 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Simple Analysis

Based on a statement by one of our StR brethren, I sought to compare the stats of Hawes to those of the other starting NBA centers. This is by no means a scientific analysis. For example, Chris Kaman is not on my list, as Marcus Camby has started the bulk of the games at center for the Clips. This also counts a guy like David Lee. If Mike D’Antoni thinks that he is a starting center, then he is a starting center.

The average starting NBA center averages 13 pt., 9 reb., 1 blk., 2 ast. Hawes is at 10/7/1/2, below the median average.

I came up with a dozen guys that are easily outperforming Hawes today – Okur, Jefferson, B.Lopez, Lee, Howard, Shaq, Okafor, Nene, Biedrins, Yao, Camby and Bynum. You could also make a case for J.O’Neal, Bogut, Chandler, Horkord, Ilgauskas and R.Wallace.

So that is where Hawes fits into the center food chain today. Kid’s 21, though. Long way to go. No reason to rush to judgment.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Feb 23, 2009 7:25 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Curious

I wonder what Hawes stats look like as a starter rather than off the bench. I guarantee his numbers will change the final 25 games, and he’ll move up the list.

by Kusian on Feb 23, 2009 4:37 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I was thinking that, too

But because of his fouls it is hard to really project more minutes for him. However, I think that he has shown himself quite well for having a little more than a season and a half under his belt. It is really impossible to place the ceiling on this kid at this point.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Feb 23, 2009 4:48 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That's because the ceiling is usually 10 ft & Hawes is only 7 ft.

"If you don't have anything good to say, LIE" - Mom

by HighTops on Feb 23, 2009 4:56 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

hardy haaar!

So imitate the action of the tiger!
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage.
- lend the eye a terrible aspect,

Now set the teeth - and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Feb 23, 2009 7:16 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks CC

I was the one who asked for this as i was curious how Brad would make out – I’ve long said he was a solid NBA Center comparitively and that there were few actual Centers with outstanding stats.

I know you said it, but many many of those guys are PFs. About 5 above him by my count, putting him solidly in the middle of the pack.

Just sayin’. Good Centers who would actually qualify as ‘Solid Starters’ are very hard to find. Bring on Thabeet.

So imitate the action of the tiger!
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage.
- lend the eye a terrible aspect,

Now set the teeth - and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Feb 23, 2009 9:33 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Harrington is really a SF

And Lee is an actual PF just playing out of position.

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Feb 23, 2009 9:59 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

no doubt

So imitate the action of the tiger!
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage.
- lend the eye a terrible aspect,

Now set the teeth - and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Feb 23, 2009 10:04 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Including guys who are occasionally used

in ‘small ball’ line-ups is misleading.

So imitate the action of the tiger!
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favoured rage.
- lend the eye a terrible aspect,

Now set the teeth - and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Feb 23, 2009 10:05 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Lee I could see

But, Harrington?

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Feb 23, 2009 10:14 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That's why

I issued the caveats in the analysis.

You can look at 10 lists of “centers” and it would be 10 different lists.

Harrington is listed as a forward-center at Yahoo, which is one of the sources I used in compiling the list.

If you want to get really picky, you can exclude Pau Gasol, Jefferson, Randolph, Lee, Camby, Kaman (only 15 games this year), Harrington and probably some others. That would make Horford the 10th best center instead of No. 17 and move Brad up to 14th out of 29. Of course, he’s not the starter yet, so if you want to get really picky, he doesn’t even make the list.

Naturally some guys are hurt like Haywood and Kaman who would have made top 10-15 last year.

"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."

by coolcatreportdotcom on Feb 23, 2009 12:34 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Duncan

If you included him, he would be second behind Dwight Howard.

Kings rule! (They are royalty - right?)

by dalt99 on Feb 23, 2009 1:26 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

He's kill you

if you call him a center.

Call him a power forward, and he’s in the running for best ever. He runs into a lot more competition when stacking up against centers on the all-time list.

"The basis for winning an NBA title is having a superstar in his prime. Not an all-star, or a bunch of all-stars, but a superstar."

by coolcatreportdotcom on Feb 23, 2009 2:11 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs