NBA Free Agency 2017: 5 best centers available
By Noah Torr
4. Mason Plumlee
It’s doubtful that Denver will let Plumlee walk considering they traded a first round pick and Jusuf Nurkic for him. He’s not the best center in this year’s free agent class, but he’s good enough to crack the top five.
Plumlee has plenty of strengths in his game. He is one of the best passing bigs in the game which allows him to create opportunities for his teammates. He fits right in Denver’s system because of his Jokic-type play. Nikola Jokic is Denver’s starting center, and he is the best big man facilitator in the game. When Jokic heads to the bench, the Nuggets can rest easy because Plumlee knows what he’s doing.
Though he does have many good qualities, the negatives are definitely prominent. When he’s matched up against a true 7-footer, he falters. His shorter wingspan limits him on defense and offense. His vertical can make for powerful dunks but he can sometimes have trouble with finesse finishes in traffic. He also doesn’t have much of a jumper to stretch the floor.
He is a great asset in Denver and can be a truly valuable backup center.