Trade Value Rankings: The Top centers in the NBA

POINT GUARDS / SHOOTING GUARDS /
SMALL FORWARDS / POWER FORWARDS

Nikola Jokic (Denver)

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $33,047,803 till 2022-23
2021/22 stats: 27.1 ppg, 13.8 rpg, 7.9 apg, 58.3 FG%, 33.7 3P%
Agent: Jeff Schwartz

Jokic’s immense value was put to the ultimate test when he propped up a team of mostly role players this season to nearly 50 wins in a stacked conference. His game should age well over the length of the supermax contract he’s expected to sign, which means he could still return a ransom should the Nuggets decide to trade him down the line.

Joel Embiid (Philadelphia)

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $229,538,370 till 2026-27
2021/22 stats: 30.6 ppg, 11.7 rpg, 4.2 apg, 49.9 FG%, 37.1 3P%

The two-time MVP runner-up has so much equity in Philadelphia, they probably still wouldn’t consider trading Embiid even if some of his previous injuries start resurfacing into something long-term. He would probably be a little higher on this list if not for his health history.

Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota)

Christine Tannous-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $69,849,600 till 2023-24
2021/22 stats: 24.6 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.6 apg, 52.9 FG%, 41.0 3P%
Agent: Jessica Holtz

Like Booker, Towns is also eligible to sign the supermax extension this offseason and is much more likely to sign it than be traded. But if either he or the Wolves feel differently and were to consider separating, Towns should command a Harden-to-the-Nets level haul.

Bam Adebayo (Miami)

(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

Guaranteed money left: $134,896,800 till 2025-26
2021/22 stats: 19.1 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 3.4 apg, 55.7 FG%
Agent: Alex Saratsis

Adebayo being this high while being a center on a maximum contract is a testament to how impactful a defender he is. He is the ideal type of big man a team would want to compete at the highest levels, and that makes him virtually untradeable.

Rudy Gobert (Utah)

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Guaranteed money left: $169,655,173 till 2025-26
2021/22 stats: 15.6 ppg, 14.7 rpg, 2.1 bpg, 71.3 FG%
Agent: Bouna Ndiaye

Gobert is the first player on this list who might have a realistic shot at getting traded this summer. Despite the doubts on his viability in the playoffs, he is still a generational defender whose value would command multiple talented young players and future first-round picks.

Deandre Ayton (Phoenix)

(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

2021/22 stats: 17.2 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 1.4 apg, 63.4 FG%, 36.8 3P%
Agent: Bill Duffy and Nima Namakian

It’s possible Ayton gets sign-and-traded for very little this offseason, but that’s mostly because teams rarely get equal value back for great players in those types of deals. His trade value should remain high going forward, even after getting a significant raise.

Jarrett Allen (Cleveland)

Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $80,000,000 till 2025-26
2021/22 stats: 16.1 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 1.6 apg, 67.7 FG%, 10.0 3P%
Agent: Jim Tanner and Derrick Powell

Allen is now worth way more than the late first-round pick Cleveland gave up to acquire him. If the Cavaliers decide to trade him down the line, they should be able to receive multiple first-round picks for him, especially at his reasonable $20 million annual salary.

Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento)

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $37,900,000 till 2023-24
2021/22 stats: 18.9 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 5.2 apg, 57.3 FG%, 31.2 3P%
Agent: Greg Lawrence

Sabonis’s value was thought to be equivalent to the two first-round picks and talented young player the Magic originally received for Nikola Vucevic. The Kings should be able to extract a similar package should they suddenly decide to pivot from him.

Nikola Vucevic (Chicago)

(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Guaranteed money left: $22,000,000 till 2022-23
2021/22 stats: 17.6 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 3.2 apg, 47.3 FG%, 31.4 3P%
Agent: Bill Duffy

Vucevic had quite the down season, especially from the three-point line, as he struggled to get his shot going with his new team. His value might not ever get to the level of return Chicago originally gave up to get him, but a bounce-back season could get him closer to it.

Robert Williams (Boston)

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Guaranteed money left: $48,892,860 till 2025-26
2021/22 stats: 10.0 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 2.0 apg, 73.6 FG%
Agent: Kevin Bradbury

Williams’ value is intriguing to gauge. On one hand, he’s been invaluable for the Celtics in their Finals run and will to earn just over the mid-level exception. At the same time, his availability has been poor, and he’s missed time at the worst possible stretches. If he continues to improve and plays in enough games, he could be 20 spots or so higher on this list.

Myles Turner (Indiana)

(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Guaranteed money left: $18,000,000 till 2022-23
2021/22 stats: 12.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 2.8 bpg, 50.9 FG%, 33.3 3P%
Agent: Bill Duffy

Indiana could be open to moving Turner right now if the right offer comes along. A handful of teams like Charlotte, Dallas, and Toronto could use him, which would create a bidding war for him.

Jakob Poeltl (San Antonio)

(AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Guaranteed money left: $9,398,148 till 2022-23
2021/22 stats: 13.5 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.8 apg, 61.8 FG%
Agent: Michael Tellem

Poeltl garnered a lot of trade interest during the trade deadline after elevating himself to being one of the league’s better rim protectors. He is due for a raise soon with his contract running out, and it will be interesting to see if the Spurs want to pay him or potentially trade him with a year left on his deal.

Jonas Valanciunas (New Orleans)

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $30,135,000 till 2023-24
2021/22 stats: 17.8 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 2.6 apg, 54.4 FG%, 36.1 3P%
Agent: Aaron Mintz

Valanciunas is another player the Pelicans acquired who is already worth more than the price they traded to get him, especially now that he’s under team control for another two years. If New Orleans decided to make an upgrade at center, he could be the centerpiece of that trade package along with some draft picks.

Clint Capela (Atlanta)

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $62,588,176 till 2024-25
2021/22 stats: 11.1 ppg, 11.9 rpg, 1.3 bpg, 61.3 FG%
Agent: Darren ‘Mats’ Matsubara

Capela should be much higher on this list should he regain his 2020-21 form. There is no rush to trade him now, but he could be available down the line when Onyeka Okungwu is due for an extension, assuming he develops into a starter.

Mitchell Robinson (New York)

(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

2021/22 stats: 8.5 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.8 bpg, 76.1 FG%
Agent: Thaddeus Foucher

Robinson should be one of the more coveted big men in this year’s free agency class. He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent, but the Knicks can still extend him through June 30, 2022, for up to four years, $55.6 million.

Jusuf Nurkic (Portland)

(AP Photo/Steve Dykes)

2021/22 stats: 15.0 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 2.8 apg, 53.5 FG%, 26.8 3P%
Agent: Rich Paul

Nurkic probably had a lot of trade value over the past few years because of the team-friendly contract he was on. He should still carry some solid trade value even on a higher annual salary.

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