🖥 TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE THANKS
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Three Overvalued Centers for Fantasy Basketball Drafts

By Keith Allison (Flickr: Serge Ibaka) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Jake Finnen looks at three overvalued NBA centers to avoid as potential draft busts in 2016-17 fantasy basketball leagues. Think twice before drafting them.

Let me set one thing straight before I get started on my three overvalued NBA centers for the 2016-17 fantasy basketball season. Just because these players are on this list, does not mean that they are bad players. They are simply the centers I found to be overvalued according to their Yahoo ADP rank. That's it.

I am also putting out a list in the near future about centers to avoid. There should be no surprise that one or two players from this list will show up on that list. With that in mind, let's get rolling.

Editor's Note: RotoBaller has the best Premium NBA Subscription, only $29.99 for the full season. We have all the preseason tools to help win your drafts, and in-season tools to win your seasonal and daily leagues: Draft Kit, Premium Rankings, Sleepers List, Late-Round Fliers, Early-Round Avoids, DFS Cheat Sheets, Lineup Picks, Expert Lineups, Stacks and Avoids.

 

Centers Who May Not Return Their Draft Day Cost

Serge Ibaka - PF/C, Orlando Magic

We all know Serge is one of the premier mid range shooters in the Association. Unfortunately, he was already showing a precipitous decline in Oklahoma City and is now dealing with a crowded front court that poses a serious problem for his potential offensive production.

Ibaka was among the leaders in the league in blocks and should assume a heavy defensive role with the Magic. Nikola Vucevic should see more touches than Serge and with Bismack Biyombo coming off the bench, Ibaka slightly fades away as a low-ceiling center.

Offensively the Magic will rely on Aaron Gordon, Evan Fournier, newly acquired Jeff Green and previously mentioned Vucevic. The spacing he had with OKC thanks to Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook allowed him to excel, but in Orlando the lack of consistent production from the backcourt will hinder Ibaka’s production. If he proves me wrong, then fantastic.

I assume I'm not alone when I say that Serge is one of the most likeable figures in the league. Unfortunately, the only thing we care about is fantasy production. As an aging veteran on a mediocre team in Orlando, don't expect Serge to be the same player that he was in his prime surrounded by top end talent in Oklahoma City.

 

Gorgui Dieng - PF/C, Minnesota Timberwolves

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that because Minnesota brought in two other centers in the offseason, Tom Thibodeau is either trying to motivate Dieng or has little confidence in him. I'm going to go with the latter because Dieng was never a real force to be reckoned with.

He doesn't lead the league, or even come close, in any statistical category. He is behind ROY Karl-Anthony Towns and has Cole Aldrich breathing down his neck after a surprisingly impressive stint with the Clippers last season. Of course Dieng will get rebounds, a few blocks here and there, the occasional 15+ point game but the inconsistency will drive you crazy.

He's a solid basketball player but when it comes to fantasy, let him slide to whoever wants him. I'm confident there is another option out there for you to take before Dieng. This shouldn't be me completely ripping on Dieng but instead telling you why you should avoid him in the earlier rounds.

He's ranked as the 14th center on Yahoo, in front of plenty of talented H2H studs including DeAndre Jordan and Andre Drummond. Luckily his average draft position is around the sixth round which is still ahead of players like Greg Monroe, Myles Turner and Dwight Howard. (Howard can still ball, he just suffers from selective hustle and charity stripe-itis).  Dieng's percentages are nice for roto leagues, but in head-to-head leagues you can do better.

 

Steven Adams - C, Oklahoma City Thunder

THIS HAPPENS EVERY YEAR. One player has a quality highlight or solid game in the NBA playoffs. You know, the time of year when apparently everyone is an expert on the NBA and true fans of the Association are left laughing at the ridiculous takes these “fans” make.

Two years ago, it was Dellavedova who everyone claimed was SOOOO GOOD (still baffled by this) and this year it was Steven Adams. He is 7’0 tall so when he dunks and gets rebounds... it shouldn't make you rethink what a good center is.

The fact he has been drafted ahead of Enes Kanter is ridiculous. Kanter comes off the bench and drops buckets and grabs offensive boards like it's going out of style. Which it is. Kanter is one of the few players I see actively trying to grab every offensive rebound possible, thus making him a double double machine, even off the bench. This helps him and you if you draft him. Kanter should produce much more than Adams on a more regular basis.

Adams doesn't strike me and anything special when it comes to fantasy and should be left to be drafted by someone else. If you are contemplating taking Adams, which according to Yahoo is drafted around the 6th-7th round, look for Kanter who will be a much better asset to your overall fantasy production AND should still be available according to Yahoo. Don't let his playoff performance last year construe your vision. I'll be honest, Kanter should be the guy you want with an OKC front court looking for a lead big man.

 


By popular demand, RotoBaller has aggregated all of our fantasy basketball NBA waiver wire pickups into a running list of NBA waiver options, so bookmark the page and check back often for updates.

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Anthony Edwards

Remains Out on Sunday Evening
Trey McBride

Sets Records in Week 15 Loss
Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Available Versus Philly
Dylan Holloway

Injured at Sunday's Practice
Patrick Mahomes

Slated for MRI Following Knee Injury
Filip Gustavsson

Takes on Bruins Sunday
Ricky Pearsall

Returns to Game Following Visit to Medical Tent
Tyrese Maxey

Will Miss Another Game on Sunday Night
Brandon Bussi

Looks to Stretch Winning Streak to Nine Games
Cam York

Returns From Four-Game Absence
Jaccob Slavin

Returns to Action Sunday
Patrick Mahomes

Helped To Locker Room Following Knee Injury
Bam Knight

Ruled Out on Sunday With Ankle Injury
Josh Jacobs

Active Vs. Broncos
Christian McCaffrey

to Play in Week 15
Woody Marks

Questionable to Return in Week 15 With Ankle Injury
Bam Knight

Carted Off, Questionable To Return With Ankle Injury
Joel Embiid

Questionable Versus Atlanta
Jarrett Allen

Expected to Return on Sunday
Rome Odunze

Ruled Out Before Kickoff
Puka Nacua

Rams Prioritizing Puka Nacua Extension
Collin Sexton

Unavailable Against Cleveland
Khris Middleton

Still Sidelined Versus Pacers
Alexandre Sarr

Out Again on Sunday
Chris Rodriguez Jr.

Inactive for Week 15 Against Giants
Quentin Johnston

Sitting Out With Groin Injury in Week 15
Deebo Samuel Sr.

Active for Week 15 Against Giants
Rome Odunze

Officially Active for Week 15 Against Browns
De'Von Achane

Cleared to Play Against Steelers in Week 15
Ayo Dosunmu

Unlikely to Play vs. Pelicans
Tyrese Maxey

Trending Toward Second Straight Absence
LaMelo Ball

Misses Third Straight Game
Kristaps Porzingis

Remains Out Versus 76ers
Drew Eubanks

To Miss Time With Thumb Fracture
Evan Mobley

Sidelined 2-4 Weeks With Grade 1 Calf Strain
Jake Ferguson

Expected to Play in Week 15
Chris Rodriguez Jr.

is a Game-Time Decision for Week 15
Rome Odunze

Bears Remain Optimistic That Rome Odunze Will Play Against Browns
Christian McCaffrey

Trending Toward Playing in Week 15
Davante Adams

Expected to Suit Up Against Lions
Viktor Arvidsson

Not Expected to Play Sunday
Elias Pettersson

Unavailable Sunday
Jonas Brodin

to Miss Second Consecutive Game Sunday
Emil Lilleberg

Exits Early Saturday
Will Smith

Hurt in Saturday's Victory
Pavel Dorofeyev

Exits Win With Injury
Jalen Suggs

Injured on Saturday Night, Leaves Arena in a Wheelchair
Haydn Fleury

Cleared to Play
Simon Nemec

to Miss "Some Time"
Jake Evans

Back for Canadiens Saturday
Ilya Lyubushkin

Returns to Stars Lineup Saturday
Roope Hintz

Good to Go Saturday
Charlie Lindgren

Activated From Injured Reserve
Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Available Against Oilers
William Nylander

a Game-Time Decision Saturday
Jorge Polanco

Agrees to Two-Year Deal With Mets
CFB

LaNorris Sellers to Return to South Carolina in 2026
Cason Wallace

Off Injury Report Saturday
Keyonte George

Erupts for Career-High 39 Points Against Memphis
Bones Hyland

Exits Early With Knee Contusion
Isaiah Joe

To Miss Fourth Straight Game
Isaiah Hartenstein

Removed From Injury Report
Austin Reaves

To Be Re-Evaluated In One Week With Calf Strain
Logan O'Connor

Still Not Ready for Season Debut
Lukas Dostal

Activated From Injured Reserve
CFB

Washington State Expected to Hire Kirby Moore as Next Head Coach
CFB

Kyle Whittingham Stepping Down as Utah Head Coach
Manel Kape

Set For UFC Vegas 112 Main Event
Brandon Royval

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 112
Kevin Vallejos

Set For His Third UFC Fight
Giga Chikadze

In Dire Need Of Victory
Cesar Almeida

Set To Welcome Cezary Oleksiejczuk To The UFC
Cezary Oleksiejczuk

Set To Make His UFC Debut
Maikel Garcia

Royals Agree on Five-Year Extension
Melquizael Costa

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Looks to Win Second Consecutive Fights
Marcus Buchecha

Looks To Bounce Back
Kennedy Nzechukwu

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 112
King Green

Returns At UFC Vegas 112
Lance Gibson jr

Lance Gibson Jr. Set To Open Up UFC Vegas 112 Main Card
CFB

Sherrone Moore Charged with Home Invasion, Among Other Charges
CFB

Freddie Kitchens Fired from North Carolina Coaching Staff
CFB

Bryce Underwood Could Leave Michigan Without Buyout
Fernando Tatis Jr.

Padres Not Considering Trading Fernando Tatis Jr.
Tarik Skubal

Tigers Engaged in "Serious Talks" Around Trading Tarik Skubal at the Winter Meetings
CFB

Chris Brazzell II Declaring for NFL Draft
CFB

Fernando Mendoza Named AP College Football Player of the Year
Raisel Iglesias

to Remain the Braves Closer
Robert Suarez

Agrees on Three-Year Deal With Braves
CFB

Sherrone Moore Remains in Police Custody
CFB

Joe Klanderman Joining Baylor Coaching Staff
CFB

Kentucky Hiring Jay Bateman as Next Defensive Coordinator
Si Woo Kim

Closes 2025 With Strong Finish Among Putting Woes
Akshay Bhatia

Looks to Rebound in 2026 After Down Year Off the Tee
Brian Harman

2025 Season a Step Back Despite Spring Win
Sam Burns

' Elite Putting Headlines a Solid 2025 Season
Sepp Straka

Ends Stellar 2025 Campaign on a High Note
Robert MacIntyre

Closes Out a Steady 2025 Campaign
CFB

Chip Kelly Interviews for Georgia Tech Offensive Coordinator Job
CFB

Louisville Receiver Chris Bell has a Torn ACL
Min Woo Lee

Breaks Through to Win in Texas This Year
PGA

Alex Noren Wins Twice on European Tour This Year
Wyndham Clark

has Up-and-Down 2025 Golf Season
CFB

Michigan Fires Head Coach Sherrone Moore
Corey Conners

Comes Close to Winning Again in Very Good 2025
Justin Rose

Turns Back the Clock in 2025
CFB

Jim Knowles Expected to be Hired as Tennessee's Defensive Coordinator
Harris English

Enjoys Solid Finish at Hero World Challenge
CFB

Defensive Coordinator Jim Knowles Not Being Retained at Penn State
CFB

Indiana's Stephen Daley Done for Season After Post-Game Injury
Pete Alonso

Orioles Finalizing Five-Year Deal
Kyle Finnegan

Tigers, Kyle Finnegan Agree on Two-Year Deal
Bo Bichette

Red Sox Out on Bo Bichette For Now
Philadelphia Phillies

Phillies Extend Manager Rob Thomson Through 2027 Season
Michael King

the Mets' Top Rotation Target?
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Could Move Back to Leadoff Spot
CFB

Florida, Wisconsin Among Suitors for QB Transfer Kenny Minchey
CFB

Bryan Harsin, Justin Wilcox Candidates for Washington State Head Coach Job?
Edwin Díaz

Edwin Diaz Agrees to Deal With the Dodgers
Kyle Schwarber

Returning to Phillies on Five-Year Deal
CFB

Ole Miss Hiring John David Baker as Offensive Coordinator
CFB

Ty Howle the Top Target for Virginia Tech Offensive Coordinator Job
Shohei Ohtani

to be Used More as Traditional Starting Pitcher Next Year
Yordan Alvarez

to Become Full-Time DH in 2026?
Mason Miller

Padres Plan to Keep Mason Miller in the Bullpen
Ranger Suárez

Orioles Interested in Signing Ranger Suarez
Anthony Volpe

Yankees Don't Expect Anthony Volpe to be Ready in April
Gerrit Cole

Targeting a Return in May/June

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP