NBA 2018/19: 3 centers the San Antonio Spurs should target

The NBA buyout deadline was a relatively quiet affair, with only one move having any ramifications on the league's playoff contenders. That move was the San Antonio Spurs' decision to buy out Pau Gasol, who quickly signed a deal until the end of the season with the NBA leading Milwaukee Bucks.

The move came as a surprise due to the fact that Gasol was widely seen as a leader in the Spurs locker room following the recent departures of Tony Parker and Mani Ginobili, although the Spaniard's departure will reportedly save the franchise around $3 million.

The 38-year-old's departure also leaves the Spurs with an open roster spot, and Gregg Popovich's side may feel a desire to add another big.

The free agent pool until the summer was finalised on March 1, and here are the three players that the Spurs could add ahead of the playoffs.

---

#3 Brandan Wright

Brandan Wright has yet to feature this season

Brandan Wright was selected as the eighth overall pick of the 2007 draft, although the former college standout has struggled to fulfil his potential in the NBA. Aside from a successful spell with the Dallas Mavericks between 2011 and 2014, the 31-year-old has struggled to find any sort of consistency, although the current shallow pool of free agents could work in his favour.

Wright also has the versatility to play at both power forward and center, and while he has yet to play this season, he averaged 5.0 points and 3.4 rebounds over 28 games during the 17/18 campaign. Evidently, Wright would only get 5-10 minutes in the Spurs' rotation, however, the team has nothing to lose in adding an extra body, and Wright remains one of the better centers currently available.

#2 Greg Monroe

Greg Monroe has struggled to find a permanent home since leaving the Milwaukee Bucks in 2017

In the last 18 months, Greg Monroe has started just six times during spells with the Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, and most recently, the Toronto Raptors. It is a recurring theme for Monroe, who despite being in the prime of his career, has struggled to find a permanent home in the NBA.

Nevertheless, Monroe is still a former lottery pick that performed well during his most-recent spell with the Raptors, averaging 4.8 points and 4.1 rebounds in just 11.1 minutes per game. Monroe also has recent playoff experience having played 11 times during the Boston Celtics run to the Eastern Conference Finals last year, and of the available centers on the free agent market, there is no doubting that Monroe has the most potential to play at a high level during big games.

#1 Marcin Gortat

Marcin Gortat was recently released by the Los Angeles Clippers after less than 12 months

During the 2018 off-season, Marcin Gortat joined the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Austin Rivers. The center went on to start 43 games in LA, however, the Polish veteran was waived by the Clippers in the days leading up to the 2019 trade deadline.

While the Clippers chose to proceed with younger options, Gortat proved that he still belongs in the NBA during his short time with the team. The 35-year-old averaged 5.0 points and 5.6 rebounds in 16.0 minutes per game, and there is no doubting that the veteran would be both a competitive and experienced addition to the Spurs roster.

Nevertheless, the Polish center has reportedly attracted interest from rival teams including the Toronto Raptors, and the Spurs would need to offer him decent minutes to secure his signature.