Perhaps the toughest roster position to fill on any NBA team is a true starting quality center.  Many teams, including very good teams, struggle mightily to find someone – anyone – to fill this role.  Just ask the HEAT how hard it has been to find the center they would like to have.

This year will not be any different, but as always, there are a few potential targets to go after in the off season that will get certain NBA general managers excited.  Hoopsworld has a complete list of pending free agents and we have pared down the list of potentially available centers to the top prospects here. 

#1 Tyson Chandler, Dallas Mavericks – Unrestricted

An incredibly long and athletic center who can rebound, block shots, run the floor, and finish above the rim, Tyson Chandler has come to define the prototypical elite center in the NBA for most teams.

After two subpar seasons shortened by injuries, Chandler returned to his old form in Dallas last season averaging 10.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in just 27.8 minutes per game.  While the numbers may not seem overwhelming, Chandler gets the credit from turning the Mavericks from a soft team of playoff pretenders to championship tough.

Even if the new collective bargaining agreement puts the squeeze on the Mavericks ability to offer the 28-year-old Chandler the contract he will undoubtedly command, team owner Mark Cuban will find a way to bring back his team’s defensive anchor for another championship try.

Open your checkbooks gentlemen; this is going to get expensive.

#2 Nene, Denver Nuggets – Unrestricted

It looks like the 28-year-old Nene wants to test free agency and who could blame him?  The big man from Brazil is similar in size and style to Chandler and the opportunity to get highly paid for his skills may never be better.

For three seasons in a row, Nene has put up solid numbers at center for Denver, and last year he averaged 14.5 points, 7.6 rebounds, a block, and 1.1 steals in 30.5 minutes while shooting the highest field-goal percentage in the NBA.  Don’t let the lower rebound numbers impact your decision; Nene had to compete with Carmelo Anthony for boards, and when Anthony was traded, Nene’s rebounding rate jumped to nine per game in March.

The Nuggets pulled out all the stops to get Nene’s signature on an extension and will be competing hard for him in free agency.  No one should count on being able to pry Nene out of Denver.

Just like with Chandler, competing teams had better be prepared to open their checkbooks.

(Note: Chandler has a higher field-goal percentage than Nene but doesn’t take enough shots to qualify.)

#3 Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies – Restricted ($4.5 million Qualifying Offer)

The Grizzlies young center’s numbers were down across the board last season as he only averaged 11.7 points on 52.7 percent shooting, 7.0 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, and 0.9 steals in 31.9 minutes per game.  Unfortunately for those hoping to steal Gasol from Memphis, he averaged a double-double in 13 playoff games and helped the eighth-place Grizzlies eliminate the first-place San Antonio Spurs.

While Gasol’s numbers may have declined during the regular season, he was still a big part of the reason the Grizzlies made the playoffs at all.  The Grizzlies need Gasol back next season to anchor their defense if they are to take the next step in their development.

A qualifying offer has been issued to Gasol, and with less than $40 million committed to player salaries next season, it is going to be difficult to get Gasol out of Memphis.

#4 DeAndre Jordan, L.A. Clippers – Restricted ($1.1 million Qualifying Offer)

DeAndre Jordan is a very young, incredibly long and athletic center, just the kind of player opposing general managers would love to steal from the Clippers.  This 2008 second-round pick broke out to average 7.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in just 25.6 minutes last season and seemed to get progressively better as each month went past.

The Clippers have made it abundantly clear they intend to keep their young core of players together and issued qualifying offers well in advance.  As the team only has $45 million in salary commitments for next season, stealing Jordan is not going to be easy.

#5 Samuel Dalembert, Sacramento Kings – Unrestricted

{AUTHOR_BOX}A Haitian-born Canadian, Samuel Dalembert is another long athletic center who has proven over nine NBA seasons that he can defend the paint and finish above the rim.  The only real knocks on this veteran is that he tends to overestimate his own ability and he has been accused of being difficult to handle.

There is no denying his productivity however.  Dalembert has averaged 8.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks in just 26.1 minutes over his career and last year in Sacramento was just another typical season.

Possibly the ideal center to set a defensive tone starting or off the bench and share minutes with a developing player or older veteran, the 30-year-old Dalembert may be the most talented center that teams actually have a decent chance of acquiring without significantly overpaying.

There have been persistent musings in Toronto over the years that the Raptors should acquire this Canadian player, and since Raptors President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo has made it priority to find a rim protecting center for next season who can help the transition of future rookie Jonas Valanciunas to the NBA , Dalembert may be the player they target.

{AUTHOR_BOX}Some more free agent centers sure to attract some interest (in no particular order):

Yao Ming, Houston Rockets – Unrestricted

Yao Ming may be worth acquiring in some NBA cities for the marketing potential alone, however a long injury history and restricted half-court style of play suggests very few teams can afford to take the risk of relying on Yao to actually improve their team. He also reportedly is only interested in the Rockets if he comes back.

Greg Oden, Portland Trail Blazers – Restricted ($8.8 million Qualifying Offer)

Portland decided to protect their investment in this former number one overall pick by issuing him a very expensive qualifying offer.  Oden’s injury woes have been well documented and it is a complete unknown if he will ever fulfill the potential so evident before he was drafted in 2007.

If he checks out medically, Oden is just 23-years-old and he is still very long and seven feet tall, it would be easy for teams to pretend he is just like getting a rookie center with an amazing upside.  The difficulty for Oden will be that after three knee surgeries, the most recent one last November, he is not expected to complete his current rehab assignment for another four to five more months.  No one could blame Oden if he is hoping the current labor issues continue past the start of next season.

It will take a confident or desperate general manager to offer Oden more than the qualifying offer provides and he can become an unrestricted free agent after next season by taking it.  Oden may be on this list again soon if all goes well.

Spencer Hawes, Philadelphia 76ers – Restricted ($4.1 million Qualifying Offer)

This 23-year-old seven-footer started 81 games for Philadelphia last season, but he only averaged 21.2 minutes and put up just 7.2 points and 5.7 rebounds, the lowest production since his rookie season.

Hawes is another long athletic center that someone will take a chance on.  The 76ers have extended Hawes a qualifying offer.

Kwame Brown, Charlotte Bobcats – Unrestricted

Washington’s first overall pick in 2001 has been labeled a bust almost from day one, but a decade later, Kwame Brown is still in the league.  Brown just had his best season in years with Charlotte averaging 7.9 points and 6.8 rebounds and showed that he can still be an effective big body in the paint.

Any illusions of stardom have long since past, but in a league with few proven centers, the 29-year-old Brown can still fill a useful role on a lot of teams.

Plus there are some solid veterans who can still contribute and should find a deal if their salary demands match their recent production and play.

Jeff Foster, Indiana Pacers – Unrestricted
Kurt Thomas, Chicago Bulls – Unrestricted

If everything goes as expected, teams looking for significant help at center in free agency will probably be underwhelmed once again.  The best players are probably not changing teams, at least not if the teams they are currently on can help it.  It has never been easy to find a top flight center.

There is an interesting wild card in the free agent center mix this year (again). The enigmatic Eddy Curry is an unrestricted free agent who would generate a lot of interest if he showed up to a camp in great shape, healthy, and ready to listen.  Unfortunately with those caveats, he doesn’t make this list.