Dewayne Dedmon Explains Joining Sixers After Miami Heat Stint
The Philadelphia 76ers have added a veteran big man to the roster. On Tuesday, Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey announced that the team had officially signed Dewayne Dedmon to a contract for the rest of the year.
Although Dedmon was recently waived by the San Antonio Spurs, he never suited up for the rebuilding team. Instead, the veteran was traded by the Miami Heat before eventually getting waived. With the Heat this season, Dedmon appeared in 30 games.
Prior to getting traded, he appeared in just four matchups from the month of January up until early February. As he hit the free agency market, Dedmon garnered interest from the Sixers. Now, he’s officially a part of the roster.
Following Philadelphia’s Wednesday morning shootaround ahead of their matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dedmon explained why he chose the Sixers in free agency.
“Just the style of play,” Dedmon explained. “I feel like I can come in and help on the defensive end, talk, communicating, and just try to be in the right spots. I feel I’m a solid fit, good choice, and it worked out.”
As a member of the Heat, Dedmon played against the Sixers four times during the regular season. When asked about what stood out to him about this year’s Sixers, he pointed to several players that caught his attention.
“Just talent everywhere,” he said. “Such a talented team. I mean, you got one of the best bigs in the league in Joel (Embiid), you got an established All-Star in James (Harden), and an up-and-coming guard in (Tyrese) Maxey. It’s a great team, able to get up and down the floor and win games.”
Being at the Sixers’ facility for only two days, Dedmon hasn’t had the chance to fully grasp the Sixers’ plans for his role just yet. However, he’s confident that his veteran experience will help him catch on quickly.
“We’ll see as it comes as time goes on,” Dedmon finished. “At the end of the day, it’s basketball. You got to come in and defend first. So, that’s what I bring.”
The Sixers are set to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. Dedmon is on pace to suit up for the Sixers, as he’s with the team and participated in shootaround on Wednesday morning.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
