In the final installment of our position-by-position free-agent rankings, The Vertical Front-Office Insider Bobby Marks breaks down July's market for centers.

Teams in need of a starter: Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Indiana, L.A. Lakers, Miami and Portland.

Teams in need of a backup: Boston, Brooklyn, Cleveland, Dallas, Golden State, Houston, Indiana, L.A. Clippers, L.A. Lakers, Miami, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Antonio, Toronto and Washington.

1. Hassan Whiteside, Miami Heat

FA age: 27 | Salary: $981,000

Insider info: Elite shot-blocker who can play above the rim. Playing All-Star-level basketball since the break. Has played with a contract carrot in front of him the past two seasons. Do things change once he gets a long-term contract? Early Bird rights will make it challenging for Miami to bring him back.





Dwight Howard will likely opt out of his contract. (NBAE/Getty Images) More

2. Dwight Howard, Houston Rockets

FA age: 30 | Salary: $22.3 million

Insider info: Durability and ability to play major minutes are concerns. Not the player he once was on defense. Still a quality starter, but not at the max money teams will have this summer. Can opt out of his contract. Has full Bird rights.





3. Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons

FA age: 22 | Salary: $3.2 million

Insider info: Still much to improve upon but averages a double-double and is an elite rebounder. Major liability at the end of games because of below average offensive game and poor free-throw shooting. Restricted free agent with Detroit having the right to match offers.





4. Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls

FA age: 31 | Salary: $13.4 million

Insider info: A shoulder injury has sidelined Noah for the remainder of the season. Wear and tear have taken a toll on his body. Great teammate and still plays defense at a very high level. Could be a bargain for a team looking at a short-term investment.





5. Al Jefferson, Charlotte Hornets

FA age: 31 | Salary: $13.5 million

Insider info: Plenty of wear after entering the league out of high school. Has rebounded nicely from midseason knee surgery. Managing his minutes is the key to getting the most productivity from Jefferson. Downside could be on the back end of a long-term contract.





6. Zaza Pachulia, Dallas Mavericks

FA age: 32 | Salary: $5.2 million

Insider info: Minutes and productivity have dropped significantly over the past month. Averaged a double-double before the All-Star break. If managed the right way, could have three or four more productive years. Best suited to play 20-25 minutes a night.





7. Bismack Biyombo, Toronto Raptors

FA age: 23 | Salary: $2.8 million

Insider info: Filled in admirably when Jonas Valanciunas was injured in the early part of the year. High-level defensive player with elite shot-blocking skills. Still raw on offense but has improved since his first few years in Charlotte. Likely to opt out of his contract in June. Will have non-Bird rights, making it a challenge for the Raptors to bring back.





8. Jared Sullinger, Boston Celtics

FA age: 24 | Salary: $2.2 million

Insider info: Was injured in his rookie season in 2012-13 and his third season. Finally healthy and in decent NBA shape. Best suited coming off the bench. Boston has the right to match offers.





9. Timofey Mozgov, Cleveland Cavaliers

FA age: 29 | Salary: $4.9 million

Insider info: In and out of the rotation all season. Still highly effective when given consistent minutes. Can start if needed, but best suited coming off the bench. A high-level rebounder on both sides of the floor.



