5 best free agent centers available as NBA media day approaches

The NBA is headed for the start of the 2023-24 regular season from Oct. 24. This week, teams open their training camps and will also host their respective media days. Training camps will open on Tuesday, Oct. 3, while media days will take place a day earlier (Monday, October 2).

The majority of teams have completed their rosters for the upcoming season, with only a few spots left for training camp, mainly on a two-way contract basis. Some teams, like the Golden State Warriors, have decided to keep a spot open to maintain flexibility.

Still, there are several players available on the market who could cover the final spots on the rosters with still an open spot. In this article, we take a look at the five best big men who are still available on the market.

5 best free agent centers available as NBA media day approaches

#5 - Meyers Leonard

Meyers Leonard is an 10-year veteran who last played for the Milwaukee Bucks. He has been a free agent since the Bucks' 2022-23 season ended. He can offer decent solutions as a backup center, especially defensively. However, he hasn't attracted any interest so far.

#4 - Nerlens Noel

Like Meyers Leonard, Nerlens Noel is a veteran big man who can bring a lot of experience to the locker along with a solid defensive performance. He split the 2022-23 NBA season between the Detroit Pistons and Brooklyn Nets, without making any significant impact .

Noel joined the Sacramento Kings earlier in the summer, but the team waived him in mid-September after signing big man JaVale McGee.

#3 - Bismack Biyombo

Bismack Biyombo spent the past two years with the Phoenix Suns, but he is now a free agent. Like Leonard and Noel, he is a decent backup option for the center position, with the ability to play well on both ends.

Last season, he appeared in 61 games for the Suns and averaged 4.3 ppg and 4.3 rpg.

#2 - Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard has entered the final stage of his career and is pursuing a return to the NBA, after playing overseas in Taiwan. He had a workout with the Warriors, who decided to keep a spot open and thus didn't sign him. However, Howard would offer a veteran presence in the locker room along with some great defense, even in a reduced, off-the-bench role.

The 2020 NBA champion with the LA Lakers would even welcome a return to the Orlando Magic to close out his career. Howard spent his first eight years with the Magic, reaching the 2009 NBA Finals.

#1 - DeMarcus Cousins

One of the most talented big men of his generation, DeMarcus Cousins has been out of the league since June 2022. Despite his decent performance as Nikola Jokic's backup in the Denver Nuggets, no team showed interest to land him last season.

Despite being injury prone, he can still be a key backup player with his versatile playing style. And at the age of 33, he has a few good years left before retirement.