Los Angeles Lakers superstar Anthony Davis is one of the hardest players to judge in the NBA. At his best, Davis has a two-way impact that very few players in the league have, making him one of the five best players in the sport.
The problem is that Davis is not wholly consistent, whether it be with his play on the floor or with his health. That is definitely part of the equation when comparing him to his peers.
There is also the debate about what position Davis plays. Davis has all the makings of being an NBA center in the year 2023 and the Lakers are at their best when he is at the five. However, Davis himself has said that he prefers to play power forward and the Lakers have made moves to grant that wish.
Because he mostly played center last year (and that is where he plays in crunch time lineups) that is the position he should be considered as when compared to his peers.
Where Lakers’ Anthony Davis ranks on the center tier list:
Tier 7: If this is your starting center you need an upgrade
- 32. Maxi Kleber
- 31. Kevon Looney
- 30. Jusuf Nurkic
- 29. Daniel Gafford
The list was originally going to be kept to 30 players to represent the 30 starters in the league but there are some centers that still had to make the list even if they were not starting. At a result, we ended up with 32 players and these are the worst of those 32.
That doesn’t mean that these players cannot play a role on a playoff team but if one of these guys is your starting center then there are probably going to be issues. Heck, the Golden State Warriors showed the NBA world that these last playoffs when the Lakers took advantage of the lack of size that the team had.
NBA center tiers 6-4:
Tier 6B: Young with the potential to leap into tier 5
- 28. Mark Williams
- 27. Robert Williams
- 26. Mitchell Robinson
- 25. Jalen Duren
These centers have too much potential to be lumped into the regular sixth tier (you’ll understand when we get there) but they have not fully proven that they are capable of making that leap. Some of them may end up finding their lane in the fifth tier while others will make that jump.
Jalen Duren is the most exciting of this bunch and has the best chance to leap into the fifth tier and become a difference-maker for the Detroit Pistons.
Tier 6A: Serviceable starters that aren’t bad, but aren’t irreplaceable
- 24. Steven Adams
- 23. Ivica Zubac
- 22. Clint Capela
- 21. Jonas Valancunias
- 20. Al Horford
- 19. Nikola Vucevic
These are the kind of centers that you could plug into any team and be happy with what they are going to give you. But because of that, they are also centers that can be replaced if the team needs to make a change.
Heck, the Memphis Grizzlies have showcased this, literally going from Jonas Valancunias to Steven Adams in recent years. Both guys are fine and can play their respective roles on their teams.
Nikola Vucevic and Al Horford are certainly above this tier when they are playing at their best. However, both guys are well over 30 and are likely going to start regressing here soon.
Tier 5: Above-average starters that have something to be excited about
- 18. Wendell Carter Jr.
- 17. Alperen Sengun
- 16. Walker Kessler
- 15. Nic Claxton
- 14. Jakob Poeltl
- 13. Jarrett Allen
- 12. Myles Turner
- 11. Deandre Ayton
- 10. Brook Lopez
Whether it be the elite defense of Brook Lopez, the exciting play and potential of a younger guy like Walker Kessler, or the insane numbers that Jakob Poeltl put up in Toronto, these centers carve out a spot above tier 6 because there is something that differentiates them and makes them exciting.
No team that has a center in this tier would replace them with anyone from tier 6. Could someone in tier 6 be a replacement for a tier 5 player if they leave in free agency? Sure. But these teams are happy with their guys.
Tier 4: Could be All-NBA in the next three years but haven’t played an NBA minute yet
- 9. Chet Holmgren
- 8. Victor Wembanyama
It might seem absurd to rank two players who have not played an NBA minute this high on a tier list. But it is warranted when Victor Wembanyama has been tabbed as the best prospect since LeBron while Chet Holmgren was one of the most polished college players we have seen in recent years.
Every single team that has a center in tier 5 would instantly swap them for one of Chet of Wemby, even if they only got them for one season. When considering future value, these two could probably be traded for anyone not in the top two tiers.
NBA center tiers 3-1:
Tier 3: All-NBA potential
- 7. Rudy Gobert
- 6. Karl-Anthony Towns
- 5. Domantas Sabonis
- 4. Bam Adebayo
Now we are getting into the really good center options. All of these players can be the second or third best player on a title-contending team. Would the Miami Heat win the title with Bam Adebayo as their best player? No. But with him as 1B behind Jimmy Butler, they have made the finals two times in the last four years.
This is an interesting tier as both Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns can be better than Domantas Sabonis when they are at their best. However, both guys kind of neutralize each other while also having huge question marks.
Gobert becomes kind of unplayable in the playoffs while KAT hasn’t shown that he can show up in big spots. Talent-wise they can lead this list, but results-wise they have to check in at the bottom.
Tier 2: Can be the best player on a title team
- 3. Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis is in a tier of his own and it is completely fitting. There is definitely a separation between AD and the four centers in tier three and rightfully so. If Davis stays healthy, he absolutely can be the best player on a title team.
Just look at the 2020 NBA Playoffs! LeBron James won NBA Finals MVP but Davis was the better player for the Lakers throughout that entire run.
With LeBron entering year 21, Davis is and should be considered the best player on the Lakers, who are one of the premier contenders in the NBA this season. He definitely is not the same as the tier three players, but he still isn’t quite tier one because of how high tier one is.
Tier 1: MVP, face of the league, best of the best, etc.
- 2. Joel Embiid
- 1. Nikola Jokic
These two have won the last three MVP awards and are arguably the two best players in the entire league, not just at the center position. Night in and night out these two turn in elite performances and are truly the best of the best at the center position.
Nikola Jokic is the best player on the entire planet and even at his best, AD does not quite reach the standard that Jokic has established. AD can absolutely play to the level Embiid has established but simply does not have the same insane consistency that Embiid has had in the last three years.