There’s a surplus of NBA centers on the open market, and not enough buyers willing to pay
Death lineups, Mega-death lineups, stretch fours and small ball. The NBA seems to be moving away from lineups with two traditional bigs on the floor; there are more centers than there is room on rosters.
Is it just a craze that will revert back to the mean, or is the game just evolving away from the post? Regardless, it has been proven that it is almost impossible to be successful with two traditional big men. Even the New Orleans Pelicans, couldn’t make the playoffs, and they arguably have two of the best five big men in the league.
As a result, the trade value for a center is lower than ever; Atlanta traded away Dwight Howard for next to nothing last week. The market for centers in the NBA is a tricky proposition for teams looking to sell. It is a buyers market, to say the least.