The battle inside the paint is often dominated by superstar big men like Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns. However, a second tier of centers quietly wins games for their teams without the same recognition and have long stayed under the radar.
They earned their spot with consistent contributions last season, an impact on winning culture and salaries that make them bargains relative to their value.
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Isaiah Hartenstein, Boston Celtics’ Neemias Queta, Indiana Pacers’ Ivica Zubac and Toronto Raptors’ Jakob Poeltl make the list. They can protect the rim, rebound and fit their team’s system perfectly, and they also perform well in both the regular season and the playoffs.
Let’s start with Hartenstein, who’s a starting-caliber two-way big on a true title contender. His biggest assets are solid screens, short-roll passing and physicality, which he showed off in the Western Conference Finals against Wembanyama.
He embodies the Thunder’s switchable, unselfish identity, earning himself a three-year, $75 million extension with the franchise in June. The fresh contract with Oklahoma City can be considered a big steal for the team, especially after another dependable season. He averaged 9.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists on 62.2% shooting.
Next is Boston’s Queta, who earned his starting role last season. His rim protection, ability to crash offensive boards and energy were why the Celtics slotted him into the first five. He’s also a key piece of the team’s incredible regular-season campaign, finishing with the second-best record in the East without their other superstar, Jayson Tatum, for most of the year.
The 7-foot center out of Utah State averaged 10.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists on 65.3% shooting in 76 games. Queta is also fresh off signing a contract extension with the legendary franchise: a fully guaranteed four-year, $56 million deal.
Third is Zubac, who was traded to the Pacers during the February deadline in exchange for Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson and three future draft picks. The 29-year-old has been a consistent double-double threat for the Los Angeles Clippers during his eight-year tenure.
Now that he’ll play for Indiana with the looming return of superstar point guard Tyrese Haliburton, he’s expected to play a key role. Zubac has elite finishing at the rim, disciplined drop coverage and doesn’t demand the ball to make an impact on the court.
Although he doesn’t have a flashy style of play, he can stabilize the paint so guards can thrive. Additionally, Zubac has proven that he is a reliable player in clutch moments.
The second-round draft pick in the 2016 NBA Draft is entering the second year of his current three-year, $58 million deal signed with the Clippers before he was moved. He posted a steady production of 14.1 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists on 59.8% shooting in 2025-26.
Last on this list is Poeltl. His high-efficiency interior scoring, rebounds and underrated passing have been his greatest contributions to the Raptors since returning to them in 2023.
Poeltl’s screens, seals and defensive communication have made him Toronto’s undisputed anchor in the past three seasons. He averaged 10.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists on 70% shooting, which justified his newly signed four-year, $104 million contract in 2025.
These four players contribute without flashy highlights or out-of-this-world stats; instead, they thrive in their roles with screens, blocks, boards and fit. Their salaries prove that teams don’t need to pay a center $50 million a season to secure a highly-valuable one, they just need to find the right one.
