10 best centers in the NBA today

Centers are a diminishing crop in the league right now, largely in part to the league's new up-tempo style of play. There are close to no centers, currently, that are the effective traditional back-to-the-basket type of big men like those from the 1960's, 80's or the 90's.

Better handles, shoot three's, to provide more than just a physical presence in the paint - that's what a new-age center must be in order to be relevant in this league.

The Golden State Warriors have not only made the concept of pace-and-space popular but they've also proven that it's successful, forcing other teams to adapt as well and the biggest victim of those changes are the centers.

These are difficult times for the 7-footers but just like everybody else they, too, are adapting. Adding a dependable shooting stroke and mobility to their dominance in the post puts them on the wanted list once again.

With less than two weeks to go for the 2017-18 to tip-off, here are the predictions for the top 10 centers in the league:

Honorable Mention: Joel Embiid - Philadelphia 76ers

Joel Embiid

Potential? Joel Embiid could be a top-3 center in the league if he wanted to, unfortunately, his knees want otherwise. From strictly, a talent and versatility perspective, Embiid has shown all the skills necessary to not only be effective in the league but be dominant.

In the 31 games last season, he averaged 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 2.1 assists while averaging only 25.4 minutes on the floor. In the post, he makes complete use of his 7-foot, 250-pound frame but to make matters worse, he shoots long range shots as well. Embiid, last year, shot 36.7% from beyond the arc, which at least forces his defender to stay with him if he's on the perimeter.

All the talent for nothing.

Embiid played last season after having taken two years to rehabilitate from a surgery on his navicular bone in his right foot. The 76ers played cautiously under a minutes restriction yet they could not avoid him requiring to undergo a minor arthroscopic surgery to address a meniscus tear in his left knee at the end of last season.

The timetable for his return to action for this season is yet to be announced by the franchise.

#10 Al Horford - Boston Celtics

Al Horford

With the Boston Celtics signing Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, Al Horford might have gone from the second option to probably the third option on the team but he's a that won't mind. All through his career, Horford has proven to be a player that needn't be in the spotlight but is an essential factor for the team to win.

In his first and only season with the C's, he averaged 14.0 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists while shooting 47.3% from the field and 35.5% from three-point range. While all other numbers seem alright, his assists numbers are particularly high for a center and that's where he's valuable to the team.

Horford will score few times in a post, he can knock down the mid-range jumper and when open can sink the long ball as well. So what Horford lacks in scoring numbers, he more than makes up for it with his passing and the spacing he provides.

#9 Myles Turner - Indiana Pacers

Myles Turner (Image Courtesy: CBS4Indy.com)

Expect a huge blip in Myles Turner's averages this season. With the franchise trading away superstar Paul George, he has become the longest-serving Pacer on the team. In the two seasons, he has under his belt, Turner has shown constant improvement and the organization will expect him to take another step this year.

He certainly has the opportunity this season to announce himself and make himself more assertive in the team's play. Turner played all 81 games last year, putting up averages of 14.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks while shooting 51.1% from the field.

Just like many of the centers on this list, he holds many weapons in his offensive arsenal. He can put up a hook shot in the post, he can sink in mid-range jumpers, and has shown the capability to be a force to reckon with it on the glass. And like his averages suggest, he possesses some shot-blocking talent as well.

#8 Jusuf Nurkic - Portland Trail Blazers

Jusuf Nurkic (Image courtesy - oregonlive.com)

Jusuf Nurkic was traded at the mid-season trade deadline from the Denver Nuggets to the Portland Trail Blazers. He played just 20 games for his new teams but seemed to instantly fit into the Blazers' system.

In those last 20 games, he averaged 15.2 points (+5.0), 10.4 rebounds (+3.2), 3.2 assists (+1.9) in 29 minutes. The numbers in bold are an indication of how much he had improved as in comparison to his time with the Nuggets last season.

However, his numbers seem down with Nuggets, because his effectiveness dipped while trying to play in the frontcourt alongside Nikola Jokic, a player with the same skill set but of a higher level.

What makes Nurkic a center to look out for is, his value to the Blazers. He is exactly what they were missing for over a season and a half - a low post center who can score by himself and dish out when double-teamed. Proof of him completely fitting in at Portland, came in only in his eighth game for the team when he put up this stat line - 28 points, 20 rebounds, 8 assists and 6 blocks.

#7 DeAndre Jordan - LA Clippers

DeAndre Jordan

A lot of credit for the player DeAndre Jordan is today, could arguably go to head coach Doc Rivers as well as Chris Paul. Although the duo just helped him along the way, Jordan was already blessed with an insane wingspan, verticality, and mobility for a 6-11 center.

And with the Clippers bringing talented 30-year point guard Milos Teodosic from Europe, Jordan's impact on the game might increase. Any penetration by the guards or forwards of the Clippers leads to an automatic alley-oop for Jordan. Those lobs and dunks have been the reason he has led the league in FG% for the past five years.

On the other end of the floor, he has constantly improved each year. Last year's All-Star selection proved that he had come a long way from completely crediting his game to the superstar duo of Paul and Blake Griffin.

#6 Marc Gasol - Memphis Grizzlies

Marc Gasol

Both Tony Allen and Zach Randolph have moved on to other teams but the Memphis Grizzlies still have a couple of players who are crucial to their identity of the grit-and-grind: Mike Conley and Marc Gasol.

Last season was a testament to Gasol's ability to do more than just play in the post. For years together, the Grizzlies had made him and Randolph the fulcrum of their offense. Although last season he was still a key cog in the team's system, they were able to do more because he had started to knock down the three-ball.

Other than a strong post-play and being one of the greatest passing big men this league has ever seen, Gasol can now shoot the three and shoot it well. After knocking down just 12 3-pointers in the eight prior seasons with Memphis, Gasol sank 104 last year at 38.8%.

His ability to adapt has been key to the Grizzlies being a perennial Playoff contender. He can answer the bell when called upon or take a back seat for the better of the team.

#5 Nikola Jokic - Denver Nuggets

Nikola Jokic at 2017 Media Day

Last season, the Nuggets had to choose between two European young big men in Nikola Jokic and Jusuf Nurkic as their primary big man. And by the looks of it, the team has made the right choice in going with the former.

Jokic like many of his European predecessors is a gifted passer. He can post-up and score, he can knock down the mid-range jumper, his vision in the post is insane, his passes are seen on many highlight reels.

The team's trust in him led to a late resurgence last season, which had him sneaking in on Giannis Antetokounmpo for the Most Improved Player of the Award. Nonetheless, this season will be no different as so much of what the Denver Nuggets plan is based on the many talents of Nikola Jokic.

#4 Karl-Anthony Towns - Minnesota Timberwolves

Golden State Warriors v Minnesota Timberwolves

Watch out for him!

Unlike many of the players on this list, the 21-year old Karl-Anthony Towns is a true 7-footer and there isn't one thing the others can do that he can't.

The Minnesota Timberwolves, who have the longest active Playoff drought, couldn't have asked for a better franchise cornerstone. Towns, in just his second season, averaged 25.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.3 blocks while shooting a super-efficient 54.2% from the field and 83.2% from the free-throw line.

First off, averaging those kinds of numbers in your second year is amazing. To put the cherry on the cake, Towns shoots really well from the free throw line and his field goal percentage is also marvelous given the number of jumpers he tends to take in a game.

He's probably just No. 4 because of his short career. If he continues to average and put up such numbers consistently over the next few years, expect him higher on this list next year.

#3 DeMarcus Cousins - New Orleans Pelicans

With the rest of the league going small, the New Orleans Pelicans have decided to go big by having two All-Star worthy forwards in the frontline in DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis. They traded for Cousins last year and are really hoping his Kentucky connection with Davis leads their franchise to better days.

Cousins at 6'11'' and 270 is easily the most physically imposing big man on this list. Speaking of adapting, he went from not shooting three's at all just four seasons back to now being a legitimate threat from that distance. His shooting ensures the lanes and the paint are not clogged when he and Davis are playing together on the floor.

One would feel, that when they play together one of them is bound to see a dip in their numbers across the board. Instead, it's the opposite, both of them have been racking up numbers to show on the stat sheet. While his scoring numbers had fallen, in the 17 games he played for the Pelicans, Cousins shot the three-pointers much better and averaged almost 2.4 more rebounds per game.

#2 Rudy Gobert - Utah Jazz

Rudy Gobert

Ever since the Utah Jazz traded Enes Kanter in 2015, Rudy Gobert's stock has gone up with each game. Last year, he was a legitimate contender for Defensive Player of the Year and now with the team's other All-Star Gordon Hayward gone, the Jazz's fortunes are heavily dependent on Gobert.

Gobert doesn't provide a lot of offense to his team but in a league that isn't devoid of any offense, the Jazz aren't exactly complaining. He is 7-foot-1 but extremely mobile and agile for his size, which provides the team with a center they can funnel all penetration towards.

Gobert led the league last season in blocks, averaging 2.6 per game. He was second in the league in field goal percentage making 66.1% of his attempts.

Here's the stat that defines his value to the team and explains why Gobert is ranked No. 2 here: He is the only player in the top 3 of the league for offensive (129.1, 3rd) and defensive rating (99.2, 3rd).

#1 Anthony Davis - New Orleans Pelicans

The skill, wingspan, and versatility that Anthony Davis is blessed, he should be a perennial MVP candidate. Unfortunately, health hasn't been on his side and the Pelicans have never been able to assemble a consistently competitive squad around him.

Davis has played five seasons in the league but he's still only 23 years old. Every one of the five years, he's improved his averages. However, last year was the first season that he could play more than 70 games.

For years to come, Davis will be No. 1 on this list simply because of the talent he possesses and the potential he still has. When Alvin Gentry became the Head Coach of the Pelicans, he even added a three-point shot to his already lethal arsenal.