NBA Player Tiers: Ranking all 30 starting centers in 2023-24
By Cal Durrett
NBA Tier 5: Serviceable starting centers
23) Dwight Powell-Dallas Mavericks
22) Steven Adams-Memphis Grizzlies
21) Jusuf Nurkic-Phoenix Suns
20) Zach Collins-San Antonio Spurs
19) Jonas Valanciunas-New Orleans Pelicans
Tier 5 has five centers and while they are technically below league average, they are all fine starters. Valanciunas is one of the more productive starting centers. He’s averaged a double-double in each of the last four seasons, but his numbers dropped as his role was reduced in New Orleans. That trend may continue this season, especially if the Pelicans trade him in hopes of getting younger at the position.
Collins might not have the numbers that some of the other centers on this list have, but he played like an above-average big over stretches last season. After joining the starting lineup post-trade deadline, he averaged a terrific 16.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 39.4% on 4.4 threes in 16 starts.
He probably won’t replicate that over an entire season, but he can still be a useful center. He will likely take more threes, allowing the Spurs to space the floor around Victor Wembanyama and can post up smaller big men and even serve as the team’s enforcer on the defensive end.
Nurkic was traded to the Suns late in the offseason and he’ll likely be a downgrade over Ayton. That said, while Nurk struggles to do things like defend away from the rim, he can still be useful to the star-studded Suns.
He is a good passer, a good finisher around the rim, and an outside threat. Also, even though he’s slow laterally, he has long arms and can alters shots at the rim, and he will have other good defenders such as Kevin Durant and Keita Bates-Diop to help him in the halfcourt. Next up, we’ll take a look at above-average starting centers.