Philadelphia 76ers: Where Joel Embiid ranks among all starting centers

18. Jonas Valanciunas, Toronto Raptors

Valanciunas’ poor lateral quickness has hurt him against quicker offenses in the postseason, but he remains an effective offensive center who can protect the rim on occasion. He hit 40.5 percent of his three-point attempts last season, all while showcasing some sweet footwork on the block.

17. Dwight Howard, Washington Wizards

Howard is an elite rebounder whose physical tools alone make him an impact defender. He can still block shots, grab 20 rebounds on any given night and pour in some points on the other end. His career is firmly on the decline, though, and Washington isn’t the best place to revive it because locker rooms exist.

With that said, if he finally buys into a pick-and-roll centric role next to John Wall, he has the potential to add a dynamic that Marcin Gortat never could. We’ll see if that comes to fruition.

16. Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns

Ayton will be thrown directly into the fire as the Suns’ No. 2 option next to Devin Booker. Phoenix is angling for a playoff spot, meaning Ryan Anderson and Trevor Ariza will be charged with spacing the floor around him.

His final ranking on this list will depend heavily on defensive growth. Ayton has the tools of an elite defender, but he never became that at Arizona. His physicality and skill should shine on offense, though. He’ll be in the Rookie of the Year conversation.