PHOENIX – The centers last year for the Phoenix Suns were a dud. The roster started with a rotation of Jusuf Nurkic and Mason Plumlee and slowly derailed into Bol Bol and Nick Richards, both big man lineups ended the same: a failure. The center rotation has no urgency or defensive prowess to stop teams from dominating the restricted area.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The eventual Kevin Durant trade could fill this problem for the team. However, general manager Brian Gregory can’t bet on that, and will likely need to focus on the free agent pool for centers. Thirty-six centers enter 2025 free agency, and Phoenix need to focus on these three targets.
Who should the Suns target?
Mar 30, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Houston Rockets center Steven Adams (12) scores between Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) and forward Ryan Dunn (0) in the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Steven Adams finished his 11th season and 1st with the Houston Rockets last season. Adams appeared in 58 games, averaging 3.9 points and 5.6 rebounds in 13.7 minutes. He recorded more offensive rebounds than defensive rebound and was a hound in the first round series against the Golden State Warriors.
The 31-year-old started his career alongside Kevin Durant in Oklahoma City, and has earned the label of being one of the best rebounding centers in the league. In his two season in Memphis, Adams averaged 10.6 rebounds, 4.8 of them offensive.
The Suns were the 25th worst rebounding team in the association and would benefit greatly with the addition of Adams, who wasn’t utilized to his full potential with Houston.
Apr 11, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Luke Kornet (40) shoots the ball against Charlotte Hornets center Jusuf Nurkic (11) during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Another option for Phoenix is Luke Kornet. The 29-year-old has spent the last three season as a backup with the Boston Celtics appearing in 205 games. Kornet is a stellar locker room guy and underrated playmaker as a big man. With the Celtics, Kornet averaged 5.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 15.4 minutes.
He made his biggest impact in game five of the second round series against the New York Knicks, recording 10 points, nine rebounds and seven blocks. The performance alone might make Kornet out of the Suns price range, but the franchise could offer the seven-footer a starting role in the Valley, something Boston won’t be able to match.
May 13, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Indiana Pacers center Thomas Bryant (3) celebrates after hitting a three point basket during the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Thomas Bryant has bounced around the league, playing for five teams throughout his career. His latest stint with the Indiana Pacers might be Bryant’s most productive yet, with the team in the Eastern Conference Finals. The 27-year-old is the Pacers backup center and has brought great energy off the pine to guard All-Stars like Jarrett Allen, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Evan Mobley.
In 56 games with Indiana, Bryant averaged 6.9 points and 3.9 rebounds. He has meshed well with guard Tyrese Haliburton and could recreate that downhill attack with Devin Booker on pick-and-rolls. The Pacers have an abundance of centers with Myles Turner, Isaiah Jackson, Tony Bradley, and James Wiseman recovering from a torn Achilles tear.
The Suns could take advantage and swoop in to sign Bryant and give him a more prominent role in the rotation.
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
