The Miami Heat will likely look for a replacement for center Dewayne Dedmon if he decides to explore free agency this coming offseason, according to the Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman.
“I think the approach will be similar to the one the Heat took with Willie Reed,” Winderman wrote. “If Dewayne Dedmon is immediately amenable to the minimum, then quickly strike an offseason deal. But if Dewayne is more interested in playing the market, which is his right, then the Heat likely would move on for a replacement option. The upshot is that Dewayne has shown the value of a true, bulky, rebounding big man. So if not him, the Heat likely will find another one for next season’s roster, having learned the value of such a component.”
Since joining the Heat this season, Dedmon has proven to be a reliable player in the frontcourt. He is averaging 8.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while shooting 74.5 percent from the field in his 11 games for the Heat.
While Miami certainly wouldn’t want to commit major money to Dedmon, he could make sense on a minimum deal as Winderman mentioned.
The Heat have gone through a bit of a carousel in their frontcourt this season after losing Jae Crowder in free agency last offseason.
If Dedmon plays a major role in the playoff run for the Heat, they may be more inclined to offer him a better deal, but it appears that is not the team’s strategy at the moment.