The Philadelphia 76ers reportedly are signing former Miami Heat center Dewayne Dedmons for the remainder of the 2022-23 season.
The 76ers are signing free agent center Dewayne Dedmon for the rest of the season, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 13, 2023
Dedmon was dealt to the San Antonio Spurs by the Heat prior to the trade deadline. However, since San Antonio is in a rebuilding phase, it waived the veteran center, allowing him to sign with another team.
The Sixers seem to be looking for proven depth behind Joel Embiid, and Dedmon should bring that to the roster. He will likely compete with Paul Reed and Montrezl Harrell for minutes at the center position.
Dedmon, 33, has bounced around the league during his NBA career, but he’s proven to be a solid role player. This season, the veteran center is averaging 5.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.5 blocks per game while shooting 49.6 percent from the field.
For his career, Dedmon shoots 33.5 percent from 3-point range, so he can also stretch the floor a little bit.
The University of Southern California product has played for the Golden State Warriors, Sixers, Orlando Magic, Spurs, Heat, Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings in his NBA career.
Dedmon’s first stint with Philadelphia came during the 2013-14 season, his first in the NBA. The big man appeared in 11 games for the Sixers that season, averaging 13.6 minutes per contest.
Philadelphia and Miami are both in the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference as the league nears the All-Star break.
The Sixers are the No. 3 seed in the East and five games ahead of the Heat, who sit in the No. 6 spot.
Since Embiid has dealt with injuries in the past, it makes sense that the Sixers want to have as much depth as possible behind him. If Philly decides to give the All-Star some days off down the stretch of the season, Dedmon could see some extended run in his place.
It’s good to see Dedmon find a spot on a contender after he had fallen out of the rotation with Miami. Dedmon was with the Heat from the 2020-21 season until Feb. 7, 2023.
During his time with the Heat, Dedmon averaged 6.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game across 113 contests (15 starts).
