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Center Rankings (For the Stretch Run)

by Eric Wong AKA Roto Evil

March 1st, 2008 Amare & Shaq

It's the stretch run for fantasy owners, so now is a good time to evaluate all of the top players. I've grouped them into "levels" or tiers. Level 10 players are the "Best of the Best" and Level 1 players you don't even want to think about owning.

These rankings are based on how I see each player finishing out the season.

The # of games left is important for most people, so I've factored this in and included the weekly schedule for each player in parentheses (starting with Monday, March 3rd).

Playing time can drastically change down the stretch, so this has been taken into account as well. If a team will be fighting for a playoff spot or a top seed until the very end, that bodes well for the stats of their top players. If a team has a playoff spot locked up already (see: Detroit Pistons), they'll probably choose to rest their starters down the stretch. If a team is out of the playoff race already, they may or may not continue to give their top players big minutes. I've tried to evaluate each player on a case-by-case basis.

For those of you looking to make last-minute trades, the separate levels I've created should be helpful. I obviously don't recommend trading a Level 7 guy for a Level 6 straight up. For 2-for-1 trades, I suggest following a "50% rule." This means I would only consider trading away 1 stud for 2 lesser players if their total value is greater than 1.5 times the Level number. So, would I trade away Amare (10) for Kaman (7) + Dalembert (5)? No way. But I WOULD trade Camby (9) for Gasol (8) + Horford (6). Conversely, trading away 2 players for 1 stud is fine as long as the total value you're giving up isn't 50% greater than the player in return. Let me know if you enjoy this article and find these rankings beneficial.

Level 10 - Best of the Best

Amare Stoudemire (23 games - 4, 3, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2)

Amare is truly having a brilliant season. He currently ranks 5th in FG%, 6th in scoring, 6th in blocks, and 19th in rebounds. You knew that he could score a lot of points at a high % from the field, but there are two categories in particular that have catapulted him into "Best of the Best" status. Last year, Amare qualified for my 1+ Block and 77% FT club, but he only blocked 1.34 shots per game. This prompted me to say: "It will be interesting to see if he can keep his FT% at 78+ while bringing his blocks back up to 1.5+ per game. If so, he'll be extremely valuable this season." Well, he's pumped his blocks up to 2.29 per game, a 71% increase! Amare's also shooting a career-best 79.5% FT on 8.1 attempts per game, but he's been even better recently. Over the past 2 months, Amare has made 83.3% of his freebies on 8.9 attempts per game. Do you realize how impressive that is? Those are Corey Maggette-esque numbers! The addition of Shaq hasn't slowed him down at all, and the Suns will probably be playing for a top seed until the end of the regular season. This makes Amare the "Best of the Best."

Level 9 - Fantasy's Finest

Marcus Camby (23 games - 3, 4, 4, 3, 4, 4, 1)

Congrats if you gambled on Camby this season. He turns 34 later this month, but he's averaging career-highs in boards and blocks and has missed just 3 games thus far. His 14.2 rebounds per game is 2nd behind Dwight Howard and his 4.0 blocks per game is miles ahead of everyone else. If he can keep it up, Camby will become just the 3rd player in NBA history to average 14 and 4 in the same season (Olajuwon averaged 14.0 and 4.6 in '89-90 and Abdul-Jabbar averaged 16.9 and 4.1 in '75-76). I should give Artis Gilmore a shout out as well, because in '71-72 he averaged a MONSTER 17.8 boards and 5.0 blocks per game in the ABA. When healthy, Camby is one of the finest fantasy players around because he also contributes in steals (1.2, 3rd among centers) and assists (2.9, 2nd among centers), while turning the ball over just 1.5 times per game (his 1.99 ass/to ratio tops all centers). With Denver fighting for a playoff spot, Camby will be asked to play big minutes down the stretch. As long as he stays healthy, he's one of fantasy's finest.

Level 8 - Stud Superstars

Al Jefferson (24 games - 4, 3, 4, 3, 4, 4, 2)

Big Al is having the season that everyone thought he would: 21.4 points, 11.8 boards, and 1.4 blocks per game on 50% FG shooting. Greedy owners may be asking for a higher FG%, and it looks like Jefferson is trying to deliver: he's shooting 56.8% from the field in 5 games since the All-Star break. He's also chipping in 1 steal per game, which is 4th among centers. The Wolves just bought out the contract of backup center Theo Ratliff, so Jefferson will continue to log heavy minutes down the stretch. One thing to watch (more so for Minnesota's future) is how Big Al and Randy Foye play together. After missing most of the season, Foye is finally healthy. He scored a season-high 20 points on Tuesday, and will want to finish the season strong. Will the presence of an additional scorer make things easier for Jefferson, or will Foye just take shots away from him?

Pau Gasol (22 games - 3, 3, 4, 4, 3, 4, 1)

The Lakers came up big when they traded for Gasol. Their offense has been a well-oiled machine recently, and the 7-foot Spaniard is a big reason why. His rebounds have taken a slight hit since the trade, but his FG% has soared from 50% FG with the Grizzlies to 61.5% FG with the Lakers. His 2.9 dimes per game ranks 3rd among centers and his 80.4% FT is superb. I wouldn't be too concerned about the return of Andrew Bynum, because Bynum is still a ways away and Gasol will continue to play major minutes.

Level 7 - Premium Picks

Brad Miller (23 games - 4, 3, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2)

Brad Miller has really turned it on after a rather slow start. Over his last two months, he's averaging: 16.3 points, 10.8 boards, 4.3 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1 block per game on 47.2% FG and 85.9% FT shooting. Those are impressive bounceback numbers after a miserable '06-07 season. You could argue that Miller deserves to be in Level 8, but I'm a little worried that his minutes will decline down the stretch. The Kings have lost 4 games in a row and are clearly out of the playoff race. Their center of the future is a 19 year old kid named Spencer Hawes, and they'll probably want to give him more minutes to close out the season. There's no need to panic, but keep this in mind.

Chris Kaman (25 games - 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 3, 2)

Kaman had been playing like a Level 9 fantasy stud earlier this season, but recent injuries have slowed him down. UPDATE: Kaman returned on Sunday night and appears to be fine. However, it sounds like Elton Brand is just a couple of weeks away from returning, and he's already stated that he plans on stealing some boards away from Kaman. If Brand does indeed return, that will also mean fewer touches and points for Chris. Kaman will still be a top center since the Clippers play so many games down the stretch, but his numbers are bound to come down.

Dwight Howard (21 games - 3, 4, 4, 2, 3, 3, 2)

The Man-Beast has been dominant all season long. He's currently 1st in rebounds, 3rd in FG%, 4th in blocks, and 15th in points per game. He and Amare are the only players to rank in the top 20 in those four categories, but there's one cat where the two remain worlds apart. While Stoudemire is shooting 79.5% FT on 8.1 attempts per game, Superman is shooting a miserable 59.2% FT on 11.6 attempts per game. I've stated this before, but it bears repeating. Howard is currently on pace to attempt 954 free throws, which would be the 10th most in NBA history, just behind the career-high marks of Jordan and Shaq (972). When you attempt that many free throws and shoot under 60%, it hurts your team's FT% a lot. When you factor in his limited number of games down the stretch, Howard is just a Level 7 center. There is one plus of course: maybe your team's FT% will rise a point or two now.

Level 6 - Solid Starters

Tyson Chandler (24 games - 4, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 2)

Chandler is in a bit of a slump. After averaging 13.4 points and 13.6 boards in January, he averaged just 9.9 and 11.3 in February. His blocks have also fallen to just 1.0 per game, which I really cannot fathom considering how long and athletic he is. He averaged 1.31 blocks in just 19.6 minutes per game as a rookie, and he should easily be swatting 2 per game by now. Of course, his 60.9% FG still ranks 2nd in the league and he trails only Howard, Camby, and Kaman in rebounds per game. There's no room for rest in the West, so expect Chandler to finish the season strong.

Listen up. Here are 3 things that NEED to happen for the Hornets:

1) Hire a big man guru to teach Tyson how to block shots. My suggestion: Offer Alonzo Mourning a sweet deal to retire and become their official Big Man Assistant! Let's find out how good T.C. can truly be.

2) Give Tyson Chandler a nickname. My suggestion: The "Tower of Compton!" The dude is a skyscraper out there and he's one of Compton's finest. Roll with his T.C. initials and you can also call him "Too Cool" when he starts struttin' around after a nasty dunk. DJ bonus: You can edit "California Love" to make it say this:

New Orleans...knows how to party
NEW ORLEANS...knows how to party
Where CP Threee, terrorizes
And David Wessst, rocks the house
And our centerrr, the Tower of Compton
We keep it rockin! We keep it rockin!!!
(How sick would that intro be?)

3) Find a veteran big man to backup Tower of Compton. My suggestion: Bring back the Birdman! Supposedly they want Chris Andersen back, but I won't believe it until I see him in uniform. I love watching the birdman flyyy!

IF ALL 3 OF THESE THINGS HAPPEN, then I guarantee you: The people will come, the Hornets will stay in New Orleans, the Tower of Compton will blossom, and CP3 will lead them to a title within 4 years.
(If a Hornets representative is reading this, I offer you a proposal: If you do this and everything I said comes true, you hire me as a "Super Secret Special GM." If it does NOT come true, you can chop off my right arm. Deal?) I Wouldn't Mind Being a One Armed Boxer...

Mehmet Okur (22 games - 4, 4, 3, 3, 3, 3, 2)

After a miserable start, Okur has really come on strong. Over the past two months, he's averaging: 35.1 minutes, 15.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, .8 steals, .6 blocks, and 1.7 threes per game on 45.6% FG and 82.9% FT shooting. The Jazz don't have a great schedule to close out the season, but Okur should continue to play big minutes.

Al Horford (24 games - 4, 4, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2)

What rookie wall? Al Horford had the best month of his career in February. He averaged 31.9 minutes, 10.9 points, 10.6 boards (4.2 offensive!), .6 steals, and .8 blocks per game on 46.7% FG and a stellar 92.3% FT. He also commited just 3.5 fouls per game after recording 3.9 per in December. The Hawks are fighting for a playoff spot and have clearly commited to Horford as their man in the middle. He has 6 double-doubles in his last 9 games, and seems poised for a strong finish.

Level 5 - Okay Options

Samuel Dalembert (22 games - 3, 4, 3, 4, 3, 3, 2)

Dalembert is currently battling foot, ankle, and quad injuries, which have limited his production in recent games. However, with Philly currently clinging to the 8th playoff spot in the East, don't expect Sammy to miss any games unless it gets really bad. Dalembert is averaging a double-double, ranks 5th in blocks (2.34 times as many as Tyson Chandler), and is shooting a respectable 51.2% FG and 71.1% FT.

Emeka Okafor (23 games - 4, 3, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2)

At first glance, Okafor is having another solid season. He hasn't missed a game and he ranks 7th in boards and 14th in blocks. However, his numbers have dropped in nearly every single category and his team is going to miss the playoffs yet again. His FT% has fallen for the 3rd year in a row, and now sits at a lowly 56.6%. His blocks have gone from 2.57 per game last year to just 1.70 this year. With Gerald Wallace out, Okafor should continue to get plenty of minutes and touches, but I'm not very high on him right now.

Rasheed Wallace (23 games - 4, 3, 3, 4, 3, 4, 2)

Wallace's stats look nearly identical to last season, with one exception. He's averaging a career-high 1.38 steals per game, which makes him the #1 center in that category. Sheed is also blocking nearly 2 shots per game over the past 2 months, making him the only center to rank in the top 20 in both cats. However, his minutes are going to start declining, guaransheed. In '06-07, he averaged 32.2 mpg for the season, but just 22.3 mpg in April. In '05-06, he averaged 34.7 mpg for the season, but just 26.9 mpg in April. In '04-05, he averaged 34.0 mpg for the season, but just 27.9 mpg in April. Wallace is obviously going to rest more once April comes along, so I dropped him to Level 5 as a result. He should still be solid for March, but make sure you have a replacement ready for the final 2 weeks.

LaMarcus Aldridge (22 games - 3, 4, 3, 4, 3, 3, 2)

As expected, the #2 pick of the 2006 draft has had a solid season. I'm a little worried about him breaking down at the end, but he averaged 1 steal, 2 blocks, and 2 assists per game in February (all monthly season-highs). Technically, the Blazers are still in the playoff hunt, but if they don't go on another long winning streak, they'll miss the postseason yet again. Will Portland give Channing Frye more minutes down the stretch?

Andrew Bogut (22 games - 3, 3, 2, 4, 4, 4, 2)

Bogut's point and rebounds are up this season, but his FG% and assists are down. Of course, there's one cat where Bogut has improved drastically, and that has really helped out his fantasy value. After blocking just 1 shot every 64.5 minutes last year, Bogut has rejected 1 every 20.1 minutes this season. Now all he needs to do is pump up that 57.0% FT shooting.

Level 4 - Borderline Ballers

Andrea Bargnani (24 games - 4, 4, 4, 3, 4, 3, 2)

Bargnani is finally starting to put up decent numbers. In February, he averaged 15.1 points, 4.7 boards, .5 blocks, and 1.9 threes on 44.1% FG and 85.7% FT. However, he remains very inconsistent so it's tough to rely on him. Chris Bosh is going to sit out the next few games, so he looks like a solid start this week, but after that it's up in the air.

Andris Biedrins (24 games - 4, 3, 4, 4, 4, 3, 2)

Biedrins had an appendectomy a week ago, but he should return soon. The Warriors need him in the middle, because Chris Webber is a little limited these days. In 41 starts, Biedrins has averaged 29.4 minutes, 10.6 points, 10.6 boards, .8 steals, and 1.2 blocks on 60.5% FG shooting, but he's forced to sit against certain opponents. If you need a #2 center and someone dropped Biedrins recently, I suggest picking him up.

Brendan Haywood (23 games - 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 3, 2)

Haywood's season stats are very solid for a #2 center: 10.8 points, 7.5 boards, and 1.7 blocks on 53% FG and 74.7% FT. That FT% is pretty incredible when you consider that he shot just 54.8% from the line last year. He's gotten more shot attempts with Caron Butler out of the lineup, and there's no telling when CB will return.

Dikembe Mutombo (23 games - 3, 4, 4, 3, 4, 3, 2)

The ageless wonder has fantasy value once again. I feel really bad for Yao suffering another devastating injury, but it's nice to see that Mutombo is still alive and well. In 2 games since Yao went down, he's combined for 41 minutes, 8 points, 19 boards, and 8 blocks. Yeah, Dikembe still knows how to wag that finger! In 33 starts last year, Mutombo averaged 4.9 points, 10.4 boards, and 1.5 blocks per game on 58.2% FG and 70.2% FT. If you need a cheap source of boards and blocks who won't hurt your %'s too much, give him a look.

Erick Dampier (22 games - 3, 4, 3, 3, 4, 4, 1)

In the 6 games since Kidd arrived, Dampier has averaged 6.8 points, 9.7 boards, and 2 blocks per game on 18-26 (69.2%) FG shooting. Those numbers are substantially better than his season averages, which shows how much of an impact Kidd can immediately have on a team. It looks like Dampier is confident and motivated now, so he could be a solid #2 center down the stretch.

Troy Murphy (22 games - 3, 3, 4, 3, 4, 3, 2)

Murphy has been very solid with Jermaine O'Neal out. In February, he averaged 14.6 points, 6.3 boards, 2.6 assists, .6 blocks, and 1.2 threes per game on 50% FG , 51.6% 3P, and 86.8% FT shooting. He won't continue to shoot that well, but those are Okur-like numbers. O'Neal might return in a few weeks, but that's no guarantee.

Ben Wallace (22 games - 3, 4, 4, 3, 3, 3, 2)

Only 22 games left, but Big Ben is always good for some steals and blocks. I think he's much happier in Cleveland than he was in Chicago, so that should help him out. (UPDATE: I bumped Ben up 1 level due to Big Z's injury).

Andrew Bynum (22 games - 3, 3, 4, 4, 3, 4, 1)

Bynum probably won't return until April, but he could help out your team over the final 2 weeks. He was having a brilliant breakout season until he got injured, so hang onto him if you need center help. It remains to be seen how he'll fit in with the new look Lakers, but he's too talented to keep on the bench.

Mark Blount (24 games - 3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 3, 2)

Blount has been the main beneficiary of Shaq's departure. In the month of February, he averaged 13.3 points, 6.6 boards, .7 steals, and .8 blocks per game on 52.5% FG and 80.5% FT shooting. Blount is capable of scoring a lot of points, and he could get a ton of shots if Wade decides to shut it down. Miami doesn't have many options on offense, so Blount could be a solid starter down the stretch.

Al Harrington (24 games - 4, 3, 4, 4, 4, 3, 2)

The Warriors have a nice schedule to close out the season, but Harrington is in a shooting slump. In the past 3 games with Biedrins out, Al shot just 9-32 from the field and scored a total of just 23 points. With Biedrins back and Webber, Croshere, and Brandan Wright now in the mix as well, Harrington will have to get hot if he wants to keep playing big minutes. He's still capable of dropping 12 threes in a week, but he's not a solid start at the moment.

Nick Collison (23 games - 4, 4, 3, 4, 3, 4, 1)

The recent Kurt Thomas trade has opened up more minutes for Collison. In the 6 games since KT got traded, Collison has averaged 30 minutes, 10.3 points, 8.8 boards, and 1.2 blocks on 27-53 (50.9%) FG shooting. His minutes and production could go up even more to close out the season, so consider starting him as a decent #2 center.

Shaquille O'Neal (23 games - 4, 3, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2)

A rejuvenated Shaq has averaged 10.8 points, 10.4 boards, and 1.4 blocks per game since joining the Suns. Look for him to continue getting solid minutes as the Suns will want to make sure he's firing on all cylinders come playoff time. If you're not worried about his pathetic free throw shooting, then he's worth playing as a #2 center.

Josh Boone (23 games - 4, 3, 4, 4, 3, 3, 2)

Boone is having a solid sophomore season for New Jersey. In February, he averaged 30 minutes, 10 points, 7.5 boards, and 1.4 blocks per game on 67.9% FG and 60.6% FT shooting. The addition of Devin Harris should help him get easy buckets, but Diop could start stealing some of his minutes.

Level 3 - Respectable Reserves

Kendrick Perkins (24 games - 3, 4, 4, 4, 3, 4, 2)

A lot of games left for Boston. Perk is a physical specimen but he's so inconsistent. The Celtics just swooped up the wily and rock solid veteran PJ Brown to back him up, so Perkins better pick it up.

Kurt Thomas (24 games - 4, 4, 4, 4, 3, 3, 2)

Thomas was inserted into the Spurs' starting lineup on Sunday, so he may still have some fantasy value in San Antonio.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas (22 games - 3, 4, 4, 3, 3, 3, 2)

Big Z's season has been rather up and down, but when he's on, he's very valuable. His 9.6 rebounds per game are a career-high and his 81.8% FT is stellar. The addition of Ben Wallace should allow Z to focus more on offense, so he'll continue to drop the occasional 20-point game. However, with Big Ben, Varejao, and Joe Smith all providing quality minutes, the Cavs may start to rest Ilgauskas more often as they prep for the playoffs. (UPDATE: Z will miss at least 2 weeks w/ a strained back so I've dropped him 2 levels).

Anderson Varejao (22 games - 3, 4, 4, 3, 3, 3, 2)

UPDATE: Varejao is starting at center with Big Z out, so he'll have solid value until Ilgauskas comes back.

Joakim Noah (23 games - 4, 2, 4, 4, 3, 4, 2)

Out with Big Ben, in with Noah. Noah has racked up 8 steals and 7 blocks in his last 5 games. If he gets big minutes down the stretch he could be very solid.

Nazr Mohammed (23 games - 4, 3, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2)

I bid a large chunk of my free agent budget to get Nazr after he was traded to Charlotte. He was rollin' for awhile, but his minutes have been down since. With Crash Wallace on the shelf for the time being, Nazr could come up big once again.

Darko Milicic (23 games - 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 3, 2)

I talked about Darko in my "Biggest Disappoints" article. He had 11 points, 11 boards, and a steal in 35 minutes vs. Utah tonight, but he had been eerily quiet since the Gasol trade. Darko - You need to sack it up bro! Look at what Chris Bosh is doing. You tarnished Joe Dumars' near-flawless GM moves, and I hate you for that because he's one of my heroes. But you can shut me up by proving that you belong in this league over the next 7 weeks!

Jermaine O'Neal (22 games - 3, 3, 4, 3, 4, 3, 2)

Jermaine is trying to return later this month, but we'll see how he looks. I definitely wouldn't hold much hope for him, and if you drafted or traded for this guy after reading all of my negative comments in the preseason, then I hope he comes back and sucks even more for you.

Jeff Foster (22 games - 3, 3, 4, 3, 4, 3, 2)

Jeff Foster is always willing and ready to inhale rebounds when JON can't play. I rode him for a good month earlier this season and he teamed up with the Man-Beast to give me a huge rebound lead right off the bat.

Joel Przybilla (22 games - 3, 4, 3, 4, 3, 3, 2)

"Ghostface Przybilla" is suddenly playing a lot of minutes. Over his last 5 games: 29.4 minutes, 11.2 boards, and .8 blocks. The guy can still play, but relying on him now seems pretty risky.

Level 2 - Potential Pickups

For Blocks:

Sean Williams (23 games - 4, 3, 4, 4, 3, 3, 2), Theo Ratliff (23 games - 4, 3, 3, 4, 3, 4, 2)

For Boards:

Johan Petro (23 games - 4, 4, 3, 4, 3, 4, 1), DeSagana Diop (23 games - 4, 3, 4, 4, 3, 3, 2)

For Points & FG%:

Nene (23 games - 3, 4, 4, 3, 4, 4, 1), Eddy Curry (23 games - 4, 3, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2)

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Questions or comments? Send me an email: RotoEvil@82games.com