Heat plans to sign free agent center Dewayne Dedmon to add to frontcourt depth
The Heat plans to sign veteran center Dewayne Dedmon, giving Miami insurance behind Bam Adebayo, according to two sources briefed on the situation.
The deal, which will be for the remainder of the season, is contingent on Dedmon going through COVID protocols successfully and passing a physical. The Heat needs to complete the signing soon, with NBA rules requiring Miami to add at least one player — a 14th standard contract to its roster — by Thursday.
If Dedmon signs on Thursday, his prorated veteran minimum contract will come with a cap hit of about $433,000, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. That leaves Miami about $314,000 below the luxury-tax line, which would allow for the Heat to add a 15th standard contract to its roster later in the season and still avoid the tax.
Dedmon has averaged 6.4 points, 6.0 rebounds and 0.9 blocked shots in seven NBA seasons.
He has appeared in 394 games and started 194 games in a career that has included stops in Atlanta, Orlando, San Antonio, Sacramento, Philadelphia and Golden State.
Dedmon most recently played in the 2019-20 season, averaging 5.8 points and 5.7 rebounds in 44 games, including 18 starts, for the Hawks and Kings.
His best NBA season was 2018-19, when he averaged 10.8 points and 7.5 rebounds in 64 games for the Hawks, including 52 starts.
He’s a career 51.6 percent shooter from the field and has shot 33.3 percent (155 for 466) on three-pointers.
He began his career playing for the Heat’s Summer League team in 2013 after going undrafted out of Southern California, then signed with Golden State that September.
The Kings signed him to a three-year, $40 million contract in July 2019, but he lost playing time to Richaun Holmes, requested a trade publicly (for which the NBA fined him $50,000), was traded in February 2020 back to Atlanta along with two second round picks, in exchange for Jabari Parker and Alex Len.
The Hawks traded Dedmon to the Pistons last November for Tony Snell and Khyri Thomas. He was released on Nov. 24 and has been out of the league over the past four months.
The Heat has been without a natural backup center since trading Kelly Olynyk, Chris Silva and injured Meyers Leonard in different trades recently.
Over the past week, power forwards Precious Achiuwa and Nemanja Bjelica have been handling center duties when Adebayo isn’t on the court.
Dedmon, 31, gives the Heat a 7-footer who can play if Adebayo gets in foul trouble or is injured.
This story was originally published April 6, 2021 at 6:12 PM.
