Free-agent centers the Hornets could consider in free agency

Now that Mark Williams is on the Los Angeles Lakers, the Charlotte Hornets must once again look for the center of the future. Jusuf Nurkic was brought in at the deadline as well, but he's 30 and has not performed to Williams' level. It certainly looks as if Charlotte will be in the market for a center in either the draft or free agency.

The draft is a total unknown, but we do know exactly who will be a free-agent center that Charlotte could look into signing. Here are the top names in the 2025 class that could be on Jeff Peterson's radar.

2025 free agent centers

Assuming the Hornets don't want to go after someone aging or wildly expensive, the options in the 2025 class are fairly limited. They can go after Myles Turner, the Indiana Pacers center that they'd been linked to in trade rumors endlessly before the Mark Williams selection.

Naz Reid represents the best of both worlds, as he's not yet 26 and he is coming off a nearly $14 million salary. However, he's undersized for a center, and the Hornets already have that in Moussa Diabate. Reid is still an option, though.

Mo Wagner of the Orlando Magic is probably the most exciting option. He's just shy of seven feet tall, and he's not yet 28. It is difficult to envision the Magic letting him go, though. At 29, Kevon Looney isn't a bad option, but he's not really a franchise cornerstone.

The rest of the options are either seriously old (Mason Plumlee, Dwight Powell, and Brook Lopez) or not all that impactful (James Wiseman, Luka Garza, and Jaxson Hayes). There is an alternative plan, though. Nurkic is under contract for this year and next, so Charlotte could look to the future and the 2026 class.

2026 free agent centers

There are some stronger options here, though some of the same issues remain. DeAndre Ayton will be costly, but he's an option. Victor Wembanyama is a pipe dream since he does technically enter free agency, but let's not kid ourselves. He's not far from something along the lines of a lifetime contract extension with the San Antonio Spurs.

Mitchell Robinson is a really good option. He's not yet 28 now, and he's not going to be quite as expensive as some other players in this class. Daniel Gafford is in the same exact boat, and with the Dallas Mavericks now having Anthony Davis, they may not re-sign Gafford.

Feb 4, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Daniel Gafford (21) reacts after a rebound against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

The absolute best possible scenario is that the Hornets re-sign Mark Williams in this class. They'd then have the spoils of trading Williams and Williams, but that's a true rarity in sports. Still, it would probably be the best move possible if the Lakers don't extend him early (which they probably will).

Other options from this class include Zach Collins, Robert Williams, Nick Richards (again, this would be a rarity given the Hornets just traded him away), or Jaylin Williams, though he, like Reid, is undersized for a true five. The options are out there, and of course, the draft could very well influence this.

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