Getty Dewayne Dedmon #14 of the Atlanta Hawks reacts after dunking against the New York Knicks in the first half at State Farm Arena on February 09, 2020.
The Miami Heat are not done shaking up their roster, as per league rules, they must fill at least one of their two open roster spots by April 8, and it appears veteran NBA center Dewayne Dedmon will be heading to South Beach.
While Dedmon, 31, was first linked to the Heat in late March, The Athletic’s Shams Charania tweeted the breaking news on April 6: “The Miami Heat are planning to sign free agent center Dewayne Dedmon.”
The Heat is in desperate need of a center, as they no longer have a true backup to fill in if All-Star Bam Adebayo is out. Miami also needs a big man to help space the floor, and Dedmon, who’s a true 7-footer, could possibly fill that role.
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The Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang tweeted, “The Heat needs to sign a 14th player to its roster by Thursday. The Dewayne Dedmon signing isn’t official yet, but the Heat has a few days to get it done. Would be a standard deal, not a 10-day contract, according to a source.”
GettyDewayne Dedmon #14 of the Atlanta Hawks reacts after hitting a three-point basket against the Toronto Raptors at State Farm Arena on February 07, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Dedmon has bounced around the NBA over the past six years. Most recently, the Atlanta Hawks traded Dedmon to the Pistons in November 2020, but Detroit waived him shortly afterward. While Detroit still owes the remaining $13.3 million on Dedmon’s contract, he’s free to sign with any team.
Rockets Justin Patton Is Also Available on Waivers
GettyJustin Patton #13 of the Oklahoma City Thunder poses for a portrait during media day at Chesapeake Energy Arena on September 30, 2019.
On April 3, The Athletic’s Kelly Iko tweeted that the Rockets waived Justin Patton from his two-way contract in order to sign Armoni Brooks from their G-League affiliate, which means the 6-foot-11 center is now available and free to sign anywhere.
After the Rockets received Kelly Olynyk and Avery Bradley from the Heat, Patton largely fell out of Houston’s rotation. In his 13 games with Houston, the 23-year-old averaged 5.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game.
Patton, the 16th overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft, doesn’t necessarily need to be a permanent solution for the Heat. Because Miami must sign at least one player by Thursday, and like Dedmon, the Heat could offer Patton a 10-day contract and see how things play out.
Miami Is Expected to Make a Move to Obtain Kyle Lowry During the Offseason
GettyKyle Lowry #7 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles the ball against the Indiana Pacers during the game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 23, 2019.
On March 25, the highly expected blockbuster move to acquire Toronto Raptors star Kyle Lowry never came to fruition. Lowry, 35, remaining in Toronto after months of reports linking him to Miami was most one of the most disappointing surprises on the trade deadline day. However, Miami still believes they can acquire the six-time All-Star over the summer.
Bleacher Report‘s Farbod Esnaashari reported on April 1:
The Raptors reportedly wanted Tyler Herro, or the Heat’s young core without Herro, but that was a gamble Miami couldn’t take without knowing Lowry’s full desire to play there. Lowry reportedly wants a two-year, $50 million contract in free agency, and a source in the Heat organization told Bleacher Report that the Heat believe they can acquire him in free agency. Another source had mentioned Lowry’s actual asking price was higher than the reported $50 million contract, and closer to $30 million a year. They did also agree that Miami had a great chance of signing Lowry in the offseason.
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Miami Heat to Sign 7-Foot NBA Veteran Center: Report