Denver Nuggets: 3 centers to target in free agency

Tacko Fall

Rookie center Tacko Fall quickly became a fan favorite with the Boston Celtics this season, perhaps even the NBA as a whole, thanks to a combination of personality traits and novelty that make him much like the Senegalese version of Boban Marjanovic. Like Boban, a center for the Dallas Mavericks, the first thing that stands out about Fall is his gigantic stature.

Listed at 7’5″ (he says he’s 7’7″), the humble and hardworking Fall is able to turn away shots and make plays around the basket with ease. Fall has only played six games for the Celtics this season as he’s on a Two-Way contract, having spent the majority of the 2019-20 season with the NBA G League’s Maine Red Claws.

In 29 games with the Red Claws (11 starts), Fall has averaged 12.9 points, 11.3 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game while shooting 70.4% from the field. While displaying dominance in the paint, Fall also has a nascent faceup game and has even shown himself to have solid passing ability.

In his six games with Boston, Fall averaged 3.2 points and 1.8 rebounds in 4.0 minutes per game while shooting 75.0% from the field. Per 36 minutes, his averages become eye-popping, at 28.5 points, 16.5 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game. Of course, those numbers are highly unlikely to be reached even if Fall does play 36 minutes per game but they serve to show how dominant Tacko can be in extended time.

Following the 2019-20 season, the Celtics will have to extend a qualifying offer to Fall in order to make him a restricted free agent. Should Celtics forward Gordon Hayward pick up his $34.2 million player option (which he almost certainly will) and the Celtics extend the contracts of rising stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum (which they almost certainly will), Fall may become a luxury that they can’t afford.

In Denver, Fall could be precisely the type of backup center the Nuggets need. One who won’t complain about playing time, is coachable and can learn from star center Nikola Jokic.