Trade Value Rankings: The Top 20 centers in the NBA

hoopshype staff

Wed, Nov 30, 2022, 5:27 a.m.·6 min read

POINT GUARDS / SHOOTING GUARDS /
SMALL FORWARDS / POWER FORWARDS / TOP 100

Nikola Jokic (Denver)

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $303,037,803 till 2027-28
Agent: Mike Lindeman and Jeff Schwartz

Jokic earned a second consecutive MVP last season after leading a depleted Nuggets roster to 48 wins. Expectations were high for the Nuggets with the returns of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., and they’re already off to a good start with the league’s fourth-best offense.

Joel Embiid (Philadelphia)

Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $243,728,770 till 2026-27

The two-time MVP runner-up has so much equity in Philadelphia, they probably still wouldn’t consider trading him even if some of his previous injuries start resurfacing into something long-term.

Anthony Davis (LA Lakers)

Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $121,800,240 till 2024-25
Agent: Rich Paul

It’s possible we find out what his actual trade value if the Lakers’ season continues to go nowhere. He’s playing great right now, though.

Rudy Gobert (Minnesota)

Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $169,655,173 till 2025-26
Agent: Bouna Ndiaye

The Wolves are off to a rough start and could be in serious trouble if they don’t turn things around soon. Despite the doubts on his viability in the playoffs, Gobert is still a generational defender who netted the Jazz multiple talented young players and four unprotected future first-round picks.

Bam Adebayo (Miami)

Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $134,896,800 till 2025-26
Agent: Alex Saratsis

He’s a super impactful defender already, but if he can make the next step offensively and become a higher usage scorer that would increase his value significantly.

Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento)

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $37,900,000 till 2023-24
Agent: Jason Ranne and Greg Lawrence

Sacramento acquired Sabonis with the goal of ending their 16-year playoff drought in mind. He’s developed a great two-man game with De’Aaron Fox and the Kings are still very much in the running for the postseason.

Jarrett Allen (Cleveland)

Allison Farrand-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $80,000,000 till 2025-26
Agent: Derrick Powell and Jim Tanner

Allen is now worth way more than the late first-round pick Cleveland gave up to acquire him. The one-time All-Star and Evan Mobley are the foundation for the league’s No. 4 defense despite going smaller after acquiring Donovan Mitchell.

Deandre Ayton (Phoenix)

Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $132,929,128 till 2024-25
Agent: Bill Duffy and Nima Namakian

Ayton’s trade value should remain high going forward, even after getting the maximum contract he was seeking since the last offseason. He has proven to be one of the most viable centers for the playoffs.

Jakob Poeltl (San Antonio)

Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $9,398,148 till 2022-23
Agent: Michael Tellem and James Dunleavy

Poeltl garnered a lot of trade interest in last year’s 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.

Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City)

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Guaranteed money left: $20,277,240 till 2023-24
Agent: Bill Duffy

Holmgren is out for the season with a foot injury but his value should remain high over the next few seasons despite any skepticism about his length and durability.

Myles Turner (Indiana)

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $18,000,000 till 2022-23
Agent: Bill Duffy

Indiana could be open to moving Turner right now if the right offer comes along. The eight-year veteran is off to what could be a career season with highs in scoring, efficiency, rebounds and blocks.

Alperen Sengun (Houston)

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $6,911,640 till 2023-24
Agent: Sean Kennedy

Sengun is a jack-of-all-trades big man on offense with his ability to pass and score efficiently in the paint. He has a lot of work to improve defensively but he’s already a great rebounder and one of the best offensive rebounders in the league.

Kristaps Porzingis (Washington)

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Guaranteed money left: $69,849,600 till 2023-24
Agent: Janis Porzingis

Porzingis is off to a strong start to the season despite his numbers looking more or less the same as in previous years. He’s been arguably Washington’s most impactful player since he opens up their spacing and defensively is disruptive in the paint.

Robert Williams (Boston)

Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $48,892,860 till 2025-26
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.

Jonas Valanciunas (New Orleans)

Larry Robinson-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $30,135,000 till 2023-24
Agent: Mitch Nathan, Andrew Morrison, Aaron Mintz

Valanciunas is one of the league’s best rebounders and scorers at the rim. His long-term fit next to Zion projects to be great but could also be the centerpiece of a consolidation trade along with their surplus of draft picks.

Nikola Vucevic (Chicago)

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Guaranteed money left: $22,000,000 till 2022-23
Agent: Rade Filipovich and Bill Duffy

Vucevic had quite the down season last year, 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.

Clint Capela (Atlanta)

Rick Osentoski/Getty Images

Guaranteed money left: $62,588,176 till 2024-25
Agent: Darren ‘Mats’ Matsubara and Jason Ranne

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.

Jusuf Nurkic (Portland)