Top Centers Remaining

This might not be a complete list, it certainly isn't in any particular order.  I focused on NBA veterans, but added Trevion Williams as an afterthought.  Feel free to add names.  These are for our 3rd center, the one behind RWill and Horford, Theis' replacement, so he doesn't have to be a stud, nor could we afford them if they were.


1.  Thomas Bryant.  Allegedly deciding between the Lakers and the Celtics.  Almost 25 years old.  Only played in 27 games last season due to an ACL at the end of last season, and then a right ankle sprain this past year, limited his play.  For a 3rd center, sure.  For the #2 center, hopefully not for long.  I know we're talking about the #3 center, and I know we can't offer more than the veteran MLE, but I'm not just feeling the same excitement for Bryant that others are.  Not yet anyway.


2.  Dwight Howard.  36 years old, will be 37 on December 7th.  Played 60 games for the Lakers last year, so still pretty durable.  Averaged 16mpg on the season.   5.9 rebounds but only .6 blocks in those 16 minutes.  Still a crappy frito shooter, but 6 boards in 16 minutes isn't too shabby.


3.  Hassan Whiteside.  33 years old.  Is addicted to the paint.  I cannot ever see him leaving it to go out and defend at the perimeter.  That is not a profile of a modern NBA center.  They can't all shoot 3s but they sure have to be ready, willing and able to pick up a guard out beyond the arc on extended pnrs.  He won't.  Now that Utah has traded Gobert I'd say the chances of Danny resigning Whiteside just went way up.


Trevion Williams is on our Summer League team.  6'7"+ in bare feet (6'8 3/4" in sneakers per NBA Combine), 265#, 7'3" wingspan, almost 22 years old.  10.8% body fat, per NBA Combine.  That seems like a lot!  Shot 35.7% from 3 last season at Purdue, but only 14 attempts (5-14).  He was a 4 year college player.  That suggests lower ceiling but flatter learning curve.  More likely to help sooner rather than later.  More grown into his body, more basketball under his belt.  Career 53% frito shooter.  Ugh.  Well, that can be improved.

We know about Luke Kornet, so I'm not going to go into his game, but he is on the roster with a brand new 2 year contract.  I'm putting him in this list because he's signed and because, if Brad cannot find someone better, then he's our 3rd center by default. C'mon, Brad, c'mon.


Slim pickin', for sure, but as I said this is a search for our 3rd center.


Bob


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Bob,

Is your list all free agents who will sign for the vet min?

There may be other targets who are under contract and can get here via one of the TPEs.

gyso wrote:Bob,

Is your list all free agents who will sign for the vet min?  

There may be other targets who are under contract and can get here via one of the TPEs.

Just free agents. Doesn't stop you or anybody else adding names and creating trades using TPEs.


Bob


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As you said earlier Bob, Bryant is going to be looking for minutes. With Al, Rob, and sometimes Grant ahead of him, he may not see that as an opportunity. Whiteside doesn't seem like a fit for Ime. Howard brings the beef we need and experience and probably would be satisfied with limited minutes and a potential ring. Undrafted TWilliams also would be okay for now with limited minutes and he looks to bring the beef and not bad experience being a 4 year guy. And I'm not as critical of Kornet as most. He's 7'3" and when he's in I think opposing players recognize that. And it means that in practice there's some length to practice against. For a vet min 3/4 string center I think these guys are about as good as you can expect.

I read that Trevion once weighed 325 pounds. Worked his butt off to get to his present weght. He's worth a look, anyway. Most of that list is trash. I thought he was r
taller , though. Please , no Dwight Howard!

jrleftfoot wrote:I read that Trevion once weighed 325 pounds. Worked his butt off to get to his present weght. He's worth a look, anyway. Most of that list is trash. I thought he was r
taller , though. Please , no Dwight Howard!

Agreed he looks like a legit 6’10” to me, saw him alot in college. Has a very good handle and can create his own shot, could be a steal. Can’t believe he wasn’t drafted….

cowens/oldschool wrote:

jrleftfoot wrote:I read that Trevion once weighed 325 pounds. Worked his butt off to get to his present weght. He's worth a look, anyway. Most of that list is trash. I thought he was r
taller , though. Please , no Dwight Howard!

Agreed he looks like legit 6’10” to me, saw him alot in college. Has a very good handle and can create his own shot, could be a steal. Can’t believe he wasn’t drafted….

Cow,

I think you have a blind spot when it comes to wide-body centers, like I do with tweeners.


Bob


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Another possibility is Harry Giles.  Aside from the fact that Tatum is lobbying hard for his former teammate at Duke (and Steve Pagliuca is a Dukey) he's 6'9"+ in bare feet, 240# with a 7'3" wingspan.

Statistically, however, the former #20 pick is underwhelming.  Not a good frito shooter, has taken a grand total of 33 3pt fgas in his 3 year career, 23 of them in his last year.  And his last year was 2020-2021.  He didn't play in the NBA at all last year.  He played 3 games for the Agua Caliente Clippers of the G-League (love the name!).  Just 3 games.  He was ruled out "due to injuries" but I cannot find any specificity as to what injuries.

Giles might be a feel good addition for Tatum, like Milwaukee signing Giannis' brother who never gets on the floor, but I don't think he can cut it on his own. He didn't in Sacto, where the bar isn't very high, nor did he with the Clippers.


Bob


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While I'm on this why not sign Serge Ibaka to a vet minimum contract?  He's almost 33 and, even if he isn't what he was in OKC, can still play.  He has lots of experience.  Tons.  He's been an All-Star and he won a Championship with Toronto.  He's even a 35% 3pt shooter.  I didn't know that.

Even if Thomas Bryant chooses to sign with us there's still room for Serge Ibaka.  He can play 4 as well as 5.  In fact, he's a better small ball 5 than Grant, which works for me.  Grant plays 4 well, he can even hang with 3s, but he's too short for 5 in the low post.  Ibaka isn't.  

As much as I like Theis I think Ibaka is still better.  Imagine this: we trade away Theis and Nesmith, a bunch of unwanted flotsam and what will probably be a mid-to-high 20s draft pick and we end up with, because of all the open roster spots created by this trade, Ibaka (replacing Theis), Brogdon (MUCH more than replacing Nesmith) and Gallinari (with one of the open spots).    

Oooh.  I'm talking myself into this one...


Bob


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Hi,
What's his (Ibaka) current situation - is he a FA or?

AK

sinus007 wrote:Hi,
What's his (Ibaka) current situation - is he a FA or?

AK

sinus,

Unrestricted Free Agent.

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/serge-ibaka-6313/#:~:text=Serge%20Ibaka%20signed%20a%202,a%20cap%20hit%20of%20%2412%2C637%2C170.


Bob


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If Bryant continues a successful rehab, he’s starting somewhere. We can’t pay him what he can get elsewhere either, so he might be off the list. Too bad, he would combine nicely with RWIII, be ready to take over if (when?) RWIII goes down, and offset the inevitable slowing of Horford.

Someone like Ibaka, as an aging but short term extra, might be the way to go while looking for options to open up in the coming year.

I have always wanted us to get Serge. Even now he can add value. 10 minutes of him a game could be a big help and would be easy on his joints. And we could still have Trevion on the end of the pine for very little  NBA money. We could use a wide body bruiser for anti-Draymon type situations.

Speaking of wide bodies, remember when wide track Pontiacs were a thing?

cowens/oldschool wrote:

jrleftfoot wrote:I read that Trevion once weighed 325 pounds. Worked his butt off to get to his present weght. He's worth a look, anyway. Most of that list is trash. I thought he was r
taller , though. Please , no Dwight Howard!

Agreed he looks like a legit 6’10” to me, saw him alot in college. Has a very good handle and can create his own shot, could be a steal. Can’t believe he wasn’t drafted….

His passing seems pretty special.

My Purdue alumnus pal says Trevion's passing is next level.

I vaguely remember when Serge Ibaka was in Orlando, many wanted to trade for him at the deadline. We didn't and Danny said that he didn't want to trade away draft picks, etc. for an old player who was on his last legs and one who he didn't plan on keeping around.

That may have been an error in judgement, Serge Ibaka is still a viable option after all these years.

He may be a good option for short time off the bench, 10 minutes a game (or so).

worcester wrote:I have always wanted us to get Serge. Even now he can add value. 10 minutes of him a game could be a big help and would be easy on his joints. And we could still have Trevion on the end of the pine for very little  NBA money. We could use a wide body bruiser for anti-Draymon type situations.

Speaking of wide bodies, remember when wide track Pontiacs were a thing?

I think Ibaka would be a great signing. Good defender and rebounder and better than I thought 3 point shooter (thanks BobH). He could be a latter day PJ Brown.
Yes Worcester, I remember the wide track Pontiacs. My dad had a 65 Bonneville convertible, white with red interior, hydroplaned on a wet road on his way to work and totaled it. Replaced it with a 69 Bonneville convertible green over green. Loved those cars, thanks for taking me back down memory lane.

Hi,
No Ibaka: he signed 1-year deal with Bucks.

AK

Willjr...those Bonnie converibles were beautiful, powerful cars.

sinus007 wrote:Hi,
No Ibaka: he signed 1-year deal with Bucks.

AK

Damn.


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The Celtics were very successful with their 2 big lineup.  Was that a matter of preference or was it due to roster limitations.

If it is a matter of preference we need a pretty solid BU center.

If the Celtics play mostly with a single big lineup then the 3rd string center is not as important because he will not be getting a lot of minutes.

How about DeMarcus Cousins?

How about LaMarcus Aldridge?


Bob


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That is two available guys.  

If either accepts vet minimum I have no problem with either.

Since Aldrige played in SA, Ime should have a real good take on if he would be a good fit.

bobheckler wrote:How about LaMarcus Aldridge?


Bob


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Last season he played for the Nets. He played 47 games and started 12. He averaged over 22 minutes per game, averaged 12.9 points per game. That's in the regular season.

In the playoffs, he never got off the bench. Was he injured or just too slow? I never understood why they didn't play him.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/aldrila01.html