Tag Archive for: Dewayne Dedmon

Dewayne Dedmon is Indeed the Mechanic: He Just Fixes Things

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It’s December 1st at 3 pm. You may have been leaving school, bored at work, or if you’re like me, preparing for the drive up to FTX arena for the Heat vs Cavs game, as Miami awaited an inevitable emotional and physical collapse.

Then ‘Bam.’ Literally.

The notification hits our phones that Bam Adebayo has torn his UCL and will undergo surgery. No specific timetable at this moment in time, just a quick blur of what the rest of the season would look like for the Heat.

Luckily shortly after, we learned it wasn’t season ending. Just around a 4 to 6 week process at best case scenario, which was far from the worst possible outcome after the immediate thoughts.

Then we all turn to evaluating the Heat’s roster. And the crazy thing is all of our minds went in the same exact direction. We didn’t question the guy stepping up into the role of Bam Adebayo. We instead questioned who would fill the role for the guy stepping up, Dewayne Dedmon.

Why is that? Why did so many of us not question the way he would at least help Miami survive many nights as the starting center? Well, it was simply his ability to just be solid.

Ever since entering the starting lineup 8 games ago, he’s averaging 9 points a game on 56% shooting, 60% shooting from three, 10 rebounds, a block, a steal, while throwing in 2 assists. That’s the definition of a trusted back-up big in this league.

Every challenge that has been thrown his way, he has hit out of the park. How is Miami going to deal with the inability to switch in the majority of their lineups? Oh, Dedmon will just play some of the best post defense of his career, while blitzing like a young version of himself.

How will Dedmon be able to slow down Joel Embiid in a game Miami shouldn’t even be in by halftime? Well, holding him to 3 of 10 shooting looks like he found a decent defensive outlet.

Will the offensive restrictions be noticeable with Dedmon and PJ Tucker in the starting front-court? Yet that can’t happen when Tucker becomes an interior/rolling powerhouse, and Dedmon starts stretching the floor with an above the break three-ball.

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Over the last 8 games, the Heat are .500, which is essentially the formula to surviving over this period. The young guys have produced at a high level, Duncan Robinson is getting his shot back, Tucker is playing over his head. But the reason the Heat have gone 4-4 instead of 3-7 or 2-6 is due to Dedmon being the “mechanic.” Fixing things when asked.

It felt like there have been long periods where Miami’s tried to utilize Dedmon like Adebayo too much. News flash: that just can’t ever happen. You can get away with that with Tucker, but Dedmon needs to be Dedmon on a night to night basis.

Against switching teams, they’ve found the release valve. Screen, roll, occasional pop, repeat.

Against heavy drop teams, they’ve transitioned him closer to a Bam role. Screen, roll, hand-off, repeat.

That is how Miami was able to exploit the 76ers on Wednesday night, and how Robinson was able to catch fire. Two wing threes in the first quarter from Robinson came from Dedmon laying out Danny Green or Matisse Thybulle, so Robinson gets a clear lifting area.

On the other side of things, the Heat have been a much better defensive team when Dedmon is on the floor, going from a 106 defensive rating when he’s on the floor to a 113 rating when he’s off.

Want to take a guess at what that is? Fixing things.

The Heat went from staggering the minutes of Jimmy Butler and Adebayo last season to staggering the minutes of Tucker and Dedmon this year. And I’d argue that method is even more important in this year’s setting.

They’ve gotten decent deep bench production as of late, but they plainly can’t survive without their guy in the middle. His build may not scream versatility, but his role absolutely does.

His attempts have been rising. His production has been rising. His stock has been rising.

“He gives us a different kind of feel at that center position than Bam,” Erik Spoelstra said earlier this season. “Couldn’t be happier about the minutes and productivity he’s given from that position.”

And I think many would agree. Usually when a guy like that enters for an injured star, expectations are really low. Other times when a guy enters for a struggling starter, expectations are really high. But with Dedmon early this month, expectations were leveled across the board.

Dedmon is who he is at this stage of his career, and Miami in particular isn’t trying to change anything about him.

“I’m just here to have fun,” Dedmon said last season. And now Miami’s starting to have some fun as they brought their car into his shop to fix.

 

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Five Takeaways from Heat’s Loss to Cleveland

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The Miami Heat lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers once again, and it was in similar fashion. Short-handed, some offensive issues, and top player struggles.

So let’s hop right into some takeaways from this one…

#1: PJ Tucker with the early impact.

Last game against Chicago, PJ Tucker finished the game with 8 points on 3 of 7 shooting, while going 2 for 4 from three. What was Tucker’s stat-line 6 minutes into this game tonight? You guessed it: 8 points on 3 of 7 shooting, while going 2 for 4 from deep. That may seem like a positive thing individually, but it’s also not the greatest indication for the team. When a guys highest attempts in a game is 10 so far this season, 7 in the first few minutes usually means somethings wrong. We saw things breakdown later, but Tucker was that steady rock that kept them going. Some great box-outs, timely boards early, and that coveted corner triple. Being a number one option on a night like this is something nobody could’ve expected coming into the season.

#2: Tyler Herro’s one struggling defensive adjustment this season.

Tyler Herro hasn’t had many down games so far this season, but the one single time I’ve seen him rattled was that home match-up with Cleveland back in Miami. To begin his NBA career, drop coverage was the only thing he could truly pick apart, but he’s expanded upon that this year. He has counters for switches, counters for blitzes, but the one thing he hasn’t shown a comfortable counter for is length. Guys like Lauri Markkanen blanketing him on the perimeter, basically daring him to drive into a funneled death trap of more bigs. If he continues to navigate the outside, his main release valve for separation can’t be gotten to. His high release point is his way around tight defense, but it’s impossible to rely on that against three 7 footers. Spo drew up a decent game-plan for him with higher screening and more room to operate, but things were still a bit odd.

#3: Dewayne Dedmon is not Bam Adebayo, so he shouldn’t be used as such.

With the usage of Cleveland’s bigs, it was clearly a rough time for Dewayne Dedmon. He can handle his own against guys like that, but he’s much better as the complementary piece with match-ups like this, who can be used as an altered body for Bam Adebayo. But tonight, he’s it. Gabe Vincent actually made some nice plays by tying up the big in the post, but ultimately that doubling can only get you so far, as I said on Twitter in the second quarter. Shortly after, the Cavs found the open areas to attack. On the other side of the ball, Dedmon has been great in his simple offensive role, but when the offense is at its absolute worst, is when Dedmon is being used like Bam. News flash: that should never happen. Having him on the wing for hand-offs three straight possessions won’t cut it. He’s capable in spurts, but the over-reliance can hurt them against teams like this.

#4: Duncan Robinson the ball-handler?

This wasn’t the greatest shooting night from Duncan Robinson, but the difference with tonight is he actually fought through to still make an impact offensively. Like I said after last game, he let the two-point shot dictate the three instead of vice versa. Now tonight, he stuck to a game-plan no matter the shots falling or not. Something that was seen out the gate with him was that when he put the ball on the floor to drive, good things happened. It wasn’t just the flashy behind the back passes to Dedmon down low. It was just his comfort levels being through the roof. He wasn’t rushing as a passer, he wasn’t rushing as a dribbler. He was just making the right reads with guys on his hip. And that’s what can counter his poor shooting some nights. Yet, many times it’ll still lead to losses like this.

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#5: An obvious takeaway, but tonight’s issue falls into the Jimmy Butler column.

Evaluating the team stats throughout the night, it felt like it never aligned to the score. Miami and Cleveland stayed neck and neck in field goals, field goals attempted, threes, threes attempted, etc. The one stat that wasn’t close all night was free throw attempts, and more importantly, free throws made. Not making the limited free throws that were provided is weird in itself. But ultimately, it isn’t a surprise that occurred, since it’s just what comes with the personnel they had. There wasn’t one guy in Miami’s rotation tonight that was somebody who can reliably draw fouls, other than Kyle Lowry who hasn’t done that very exclusively this season. I wouldn’t say it is an issue due to it not being expected anyway, but that was the difference maker tonight in terms of statistics.

 

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The Roles of Dewayne Dedmon and Omer Yurtseven are Fairly Simple

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The back-up big man slot on the Miami Heat is an interesting discussion to have. The two guys up for the job are polar opposites in terms of experience.

Omer Yurtseven will get his first run at the NBA level following his two-year standard contract, while Dewayne Dedmon will be heading into his 9th NBA season at age 32.

After Dedmon was signed late in the season this past year, he rolled right into the playoffs with fresh legs. And in that first round series against the Milwaukee Bucks, not only was he Miami’s most consistent player, but he was also their most productive.

With that said, there’s no doubt in my mind that Dedmon will be the back-up 5 in the rotation, but that doesn’t mean Yurtseven is kicked out completely. The reason Dedmon was so effective by playoff time was due to the fact that he only played 16 regular season games, meaning an 82 game stretch for next season doesn’t seem one bit possible.

(Enter Omer Yurtseven)

Being the back-up for the back-up is not a bad job to have in your first official season, especially when it’s the Miami Heat. They’re known for their willingness to give extra opportunities for the undrafted projects, since most of them up to this point have exceeded expectations.

But Yurtseven is a bit different from past guys who have gone this route. Why is that? Well, expectations are much more extreme for this young big man. Duncan Robinson, Kendrick Nunn, Max Strus, and many others showed up out of nowhere, leaving many observers of the team a bit surprised when they got extended run.

Now with Yurtseven, it’s almost expected that he’s going to get his shot and shine.

The pure fit with the Heat’s centerpiece Bam Adebayo makes it even easier to picture. A drop big who can protect the rim while Adebayo switches on the perimeter, a lengthier front-court partner for rebounding, and of course, a versatile offensive weapon who can shoot the three and score in the post, which are two of Adebayo’s weaknesses.

So aside from the games that Dedmon sits out, how will Yurtseven get a chance in the rotation?

It’s not a fun thing to talk about, but injuries happen. And on a team that consists of a bunch of veteran players who are much more fitted for the post-season, openings will present themselves.

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PJ Tucker is the expected starting four to begin the year, and he’s known for being an available player in the regular season when looking at his track record. But much like Dedmon, it feels like the regular season games played may decrease slightly at age 36.

(Once again, enter Omer Yurtseven)

When a player in the starting lineup goes down, where does Coach Erik Spoelstra usually look? It’s not as simple as inserting the reserve who usually enters for that player, but instead he brings in a guy that isn’t in the rotation, so it doesn’t mess up chemistry and lineup flow. It’s the reason Gabe Vincent had so many starts this past year.

That’s the Yurtseven role this season.

He’s not going to be the back-up 5 from the jump. He’s definitely not going to be an immediate starter next to Adebayo in the front-court. But I do believe he gets some reps in each of those roles as the season progresses, which is exactly what he needs.

Show some flashes whenever being thrown in there, and stock will rise among the coaching staff. Essentially being the relief pitcher will be his task, and the ability to be plugged in different spots opens things up for him even more.

As stated earlier, the roles of Dedmon and Yurtseven will be simple out the gate. Yurtseven will get a shot and plenty of reps, while Dedmon can be effective and preserve himself for the playoff run.

Yes, this team doesn’t have many guys in that middle ground of ages with the two categories of veterans or youthful inexperience, but this is the one way that type of roster construction can be maximized.

And Spoelstra and crew won’t bat an eye at the thought of giving trust to those type of players through the first 82.

 

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The Endless Positives from Dewayne Dedmon’s Season in Miami

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There was only one negative aspect to Dewayne Dedmon’s finish to the season: he was pretty much the best player for the Heat in the first round against the Milwaukee Bucks. That may be a huge positive for Dedmon, but clearly, that reflected poorly on the rest of the team.

If you asked me to describe his season with the team, the first word that comes to mind is consistency. Not just a consistent number in a scoring or rebounding column, but consistent in his role on a night to night basis.

The idea early on was to develop Precious Achiuwa on the fly and have him back-up Bam Adebayo as the season progressed. A main reason that didn’t work out was due to the fact they never knew what they were going to get from him, which is the usual story-line with inexperienced rookies.

Miami ended up “settling” for Dedmon after some other players went in different directions in the buyout market, but the league learned rather quickly, they didn’t settle at all. He was by far the best big on the market in hindsight, and he proved that from his first time hitting the floor to his continued battle in game four of the first round.

Most of these pieces have been pointing out strengths and weaknesses from players on the season, but Dedmon’s play forces us to evaluate him in a much different fashion. We’re just highlighting his areas of strength, since frankly, there isn’t a long list of weaknesses from what he showed in his minutes down the stretch.

When he was first acquired, there was only one question I had about him as a player at this stage, and it ended up being answered quickly:

Is He Mobile?

It’s a fair question to ask when adding a player from the buyout market, especially one who hasn’t played in quite some time. Usually guys of his size are slow-footed, but I was very surprised at his ability to move up and down the floor.

For example, the clip above was one of my first moments of realization that he can make a real impact on this squad with the ability to buy into what Miami likes to do. He runs in transition for an easy bucket, which seems simple and semi-meaningless, but it’s actually the exact opposite.

I feel these glimpses were the initial tell for Coach Spoelstra to go to him full time, especially in this game against San Antonio which was one of his first breakouts with the team.

Butler-Dedmon PnR Chemistry

One more thing to mention before diving into some actual strengths is a lineup combination. Jimmy Butler’s chemistry with a back-up big was going to be crucial for the team during the season, due to their inability to sit Butler and Adebayo on the bench at the same time.

That meant there were plenty of minutes where Butler was out there without Adebayo, while he never seemed to have a great rhythm with Achiuwa. Dedmon got his first minutes when Butler was out, but once he returned, it looked like they played together for years.

A veteran presence who knows how to set a hard screen and roll hard is all Butler needs with his interior gravity. It led to plenty of plays like the one above, where Butler flows into what looks like an elbow jumper, freezing both defenders in the PnR, then dumps it down to Dedmon for a bucket.

And for Dedmon, all he needed was good positioning around the basket and it was basically a wrap. He shot 71% from the field in a 16 game sample size to finish the season, and 77% less than 10 feet from the basket. When seeing those stats and watching the games, he just needs a decent passer in the PnR for him to get a good look at the rim, and Butler was the best man for the job.

Wait, He Can Protect the Rim?

While we’re discussing some of the unknowns with Dedmon, I don’t think many had a good grasp on what he could bring defensively. There were possessions that he would switch onto the perimeter and actually hold his own, of course sprinkling in some blow-bys, but the consensus was that he competes.

When he would begin to drop, it allowed him to enter his comfort area. The rim protection to this extent was not really expected. This isn’t to say he was swatting shots and deterring attackers all night, but he made them pay when they tried to test him.

On the play above, it’s the full Dedmon experience. Good containing in the PnR, rotating over for the tag with his guy in the dunker spot, and ultimately a great block at the rim. That was one of the few questions we had about him heading in, and once again, he gave us an answer rather quickly. A known fact is that high IQ players can give you those signs really early on.

Offensive Glass Specialist 

The rebounding issue for Miami wasn’t just a surprise in the first round of the playoffs. That was a recurring theme all season with the tallest player in the rotation being 6’9. There was some hope Dedmon could bring some of that, and not only is he a capable rebounder, he’s a physical one.

We can sit here and discuss the constant efforts on the defensive glass, but the second chance points really stood out. Something to mention with Achiuwa was that if he got an offensive board, most of the time there wasn’t going to be an offensive reset. He was going to go back up and try to score again, leading to a bunch of transition opportunities in the other direction.

Dedmon can read the crowd in the interior very well, leading into plays like the one above where he immediately goes back up, knowing Patty Mills is the one trying to box him out on his hip.

Some have mentioned the importance of spark players in the past: Tyler Herro pull-up threes that force the home crowd to explode, Derrick Jones Jr bodies, among others. But don’t underestimate Dedmon and-ones from this season, since there were a ton of momentum shifters that occurred from his energy down low.

The Odd Flip Shot

The analysis on this is very simple: unorthodox and odd flip shots, hook shots, and scoops really fall under Dedmon’s offensive category. This league hasn’t seen a big flying through the lane with the urge to throw up a sky-hook, but Dedmon found a way to utilize it, and actually be effective with it.

On this play, he receives the ball in traffic and flips it up and in, seeming like a normal score, but it really isn’t in this current NBA. His most efficient shot of the regular season occurred after he took one dribble, even though zero dribbles had a much higher frequency. The reason that’s important to mention is that those gather dribbles always seemed to factor into those weird makes.

These are shots that he’s practiced over time, and it’s a great asset for a veteran player, since it could age nicely with that type of go-to move.

Hmm, Above the Break Triples?

The sample size isn’t huge on above the break threes from Dedmon, or even threes in general, but we got a glimpse in the post-season. He was the only player to get anything going in game two, leading to having the confidence to shoot a shot like the one above.

We’ve seen his three-point shooting in the past, but the efficiency levels were the question. And yet, it still is the question. The thing about it is that consistency from that area may not be the biggest deal about that trait. It’s more about my next, and final, topic with a certain lineup combination.

Either way, seeing this ability so late in the season makes you wonder about the different ways he could be utilized. Not that he could’ve looked any better than he was, but that opens up others so he can have a bigger role. A reason I believe we didn’t see it earlier has to do with his focus on learning his role and mastering it.

He mentioned after the season that he still doesn’t know a lot of the plays, due to the fact he arrived late. If he knows Miami’s game-plan completely, I think we could see a much freer version of himself.

Adebayo-Dedmon minutes 

And finally, the thing that was seen a little too late, but clearly wouldn’t have made the difference in that specific setting. The continued discussion with this team has been Adebayo’s front-court pairing. They acquired a perfect fill-in at the 4, in Trevor Ariza, but it always led us into: who else is there?

Do they player Butler at the 4? Does Iguodala’s shooting eliminate offensive spacing? Could a back-up big be squeezed in?

The last question was finally answered in game two, and it could definitely expand over time. As mentioned previously, Dedmon’s shooting could propel those type of things at times, but I also don’t believe it’s that simple.

Even without him shooting, plays like this occurred in this lineup. Adebayo running the DHO with Duncan Robinson as Dedmon crashes the boards. It’s another reason for the rebounding issues discussed earlier, due to Adebayo’s positioning leading to an inability to gather himself in the painted area.

These lineups allow each of them to do what they do best. Defensively, it allows Adebayo to roam the perimeter, while Dedmon tags rollers, protects the rim, and grabs defensive rebounds.

The reason it’s important to talk about is because I don’t believe that was the last we saw from this pairing. Dedmon said after the season, “I would hope to be back next year,” and his immediate fit and impact should mean the organization feels the same way.

Twenty total games for Dedmon in a Heat uniform may be a small sample size for some, but when a player gives you the exact same thing in all twenty of them, you have a keeper.

The one thing that has stuck with me from Dedmon is when he said, “I’m just here to have fun.” That’s his personality, and that’s a personality the Heat would love to have in their locker room as they prepare for another run.

Evaluating the Dewayne Dedmon and Bam Adebayo Front-Court Pairing

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There aren’t many things that Miami wants to carry over from game two into game three in this first round series against the Bucks, but there is one thing: a revealed front-court pairing with Dewayne Dedmon and Bam Adebayo.

Many have been waiting to see these two get minutes together, and I kept mentioning that I expected it to be one of Erik Spoelstra’s post-season moves up his sleeve. But I definitely didn’t expect it to come in a game down 30, which shows that he was giving it a trial run before going to it the rest of the series.

It’s definitely been in Coach Spo’s game-plan, since Dedmon mentioned after the game that “It’s definitely something that Coach has talked about doing earlier.” Now that they’ve gone to it, there are plenty of offensive adjustments that can be expanded from those lineups, which I will look into here…

Adebayo was forced to drop with Giannis Antetokounmpo off the quick dive, and it led to a miss. And even more importantly, a rebound.

Rebounds were hard to come by for Miami yesterday as they lost that battle 61-36, and 21-9 on the offensive glass. But if anybody can continually go up and grab them, it’s Dedmon who led the team in that category by a wide margin in game two.

The other reason rebounding is key in these lineups is due to Adebayo being able to freely guard the perimeter, knowing Dedmon is utilizing his space to muck up the paint. A huge reason that the rebounding battle doesn’t fall in Miami’s favor most of the time, is that their center is at the three-point line due to the scheme, meaning it’s on everybody else to crash.

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Anyway, after that missed shot and rebound, the ball found Adebayo to push up the floor quickly. He flows into a DHO for Duncan Robinson who gets a good look, but take a glance at what happened next. Antetokounmpo matched up with Dedmon in transition, but flashed out to the perimeter on the Robinson three, leaving a runway for Dedmon to crash the boards.

He grabbed it and laid it in, giving a quick introduction to how things can look in their minutes together.

Another element to this front-court pairing is the Bam Adebayo offensive discussion. We’ve talked enough about the spacing he’s been given and the lack of comfort in his offensive role, but there’s a good chance this could open him up into different things.

For one, Dedmon was the one running most of the DHO and PnR stuff in these minutes, leaving Adebayo off the ball on the baseline. There’s been a lot of talk about Adebayo worrying about himself more than others, and there’s a chance this could do just that.

Also, this leads to that offensive creativity that I discussed earlier, which allows Erik Spoelstra to do what he does best. This play is a good example, since Dedmon drives on the roll and collapses the defense, leading to an Adebayo pin-down for a Goran Dragic corner three.

This stuff doesn’t change the outcome of game two, but it’ll be important for them to apply this in the two games back home.

When Dedmon was asked about playing next to Adebayo, he responded, “I definitely like that pairing…I feel like it worked out well and I’m hoping we can continue more of that.” And I think we see just that.

As much as this can open up Adebayo, it’s another one of those topics that come down to him. In this clip, Dedmon is once again running most of the hand-offs and setting most of the screens, while Adebayo isn’t included at all on the baseline.

If that happens, then the effectiveness of these lineups will fade quickly. But if you’re wondering what I mean by being “creative” in these lineups, why not start with some 4-5 PnR?

We always talk about getting Adebayo downhill with screens, and there’s no one better than your big man being that guy. Butler clearly needs some of the pressure off of him after his struggles in the first two games, and this could be one of Spo’s ways, possibly very early.

Some seem to think it could be the starting front-court in game three, but I don’t believe that will be the case. No back-up big doesn’t seem like a very good option, and he’s currently playing so well in his role that there’s no need to change it.

When Adebayo was asked about their minutes together, he said, “It was good to switch it up. That’s one thing about Spo, in the playoffs he’s willing to switch it up. It was good minutes to be in there with Dewayne, and you never know, you might see more of it.”

Two more losses and this Heat team is out, so it’s time to throw it all on the table. And this pairing will be one of the first things laid out in game three.

 

Everything Tradeshows is a one-stop-shop for trade show exhibit rentals and custom exhibit display purchase solutions to companies of all sizes.

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The Immediate Rise of Dewayne Dedmon

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“They were in need of a big and a rim protector, so I felt this opportunity was right for me.”

That’s what Dewayne Dedmon said when he first spoke to media after joining the team less than two weeks ago. The initial takeaway when things like this were said, was that explosive rim protectors and interior forces aren’t usually found on the buyout market, especially when looking for immediate production.

But well, Dedmon has been all that and more in his first two games played with the team. In his first game as the back-up big against Brooklyn, he scored 10 points on 100% efficiency on 1 field goal attempt. Yes, you read that correctly.

Eight for eight from the free-throw line did not seem Dedmon-like, but getting to the charity stripe 8 times definitely did. He’s a force on the offensive boards, meaning those battles down low lead to many fouls, and more importantly, extra opportunities for their offense.

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In his second game in this role, it was clearly different than the night before. The Heat were without Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro, while still keeping his role as Precious Achiuwa slid up to that starting spot. Dedmon contributed 12 points off the bench on 75% shooting, this time around with 8 shot attempts. Although it’s a small sample size, the clear thing is that his stat-line will look pretty much the same every night, which is exactly what they’ve missed.

When I asked Dedmon about Adebayo before his first game, as well as filling his shoes when he exits the floor, he responded, “I’m not Bam. I’m not looking to come in here and do what Bam does. I come in here and try to fill a defensive void that I feel like they need.” And he’s filled much more than just a defensive void on this team so far.

When Miami was evaluating their back-up big spot a few months ago, the thought process was to have an Adebayo-like player, in Precious Achiuwa, who is also an undersized big with a lot of energy. That hasn’t progressed nicely up until this point, which led to Miami going into the total opposite direction. A lengthy, veteran, rebounding, rim protecting big, which is obviously not Achiuwa at this stage.

A huge issue for Miami throughout the season was the non-Adebayo minutes, which was why the on-off numbers for him were so outrageous. It partly has to do with Adebayo’s unique self, facilitating the offense whenever he’s on the floor, while switching 1 through 5 on the defensive end. But it mostly had to do with the drop-off behind him, since it seemed the team was just praying to stay afloat whenever Adebayo needed a breather.

But that’s not the worry anymore. They’ve got a guy that they seem to trust, and it hasn’t even been two weeks since he joined the team. When Erik Spoelstra talked about him after the last game, he said, “He’s a savvy veteran. He’s a big muscle defender, extra effort guy. He can fit into a lot of different systems like he has, and he’s been a starter for several years, so we were thrilled to get him at this time of year.”

The key word in that quote was “system,” since finding a guy that can plug into their schemes this late into the season was a very important element to rounding out this year’s roster. The next evaluation period for Dedmon will come when Butler finally hits the floor again, since we’ve yet to see that tandem work the offense when Spoelstra is staggering Butler and Adebayo.

And if there’s one thing that is known about Butler, it’s that he elevates high IQ veterans like Dedmon whenever he hits the floor. Obviously, Miami has some other issues to straighten out before getting into post-season mode, but at least they can check off one of those things with the latest Dedmon acquisition.

What Does Dewayne Dedmon Bring to the Miami Heat?

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It was reported by the Athletic on Tuesday afternoon that the Miami Heat were planning to sign Dewayne Dedmon. The Heat were going to have to sign somebody by Thursday anyway, but a possible back-up big to give Erik Spoelstra some options during the regular season doesn’t seem like the worst choice.

So, let’s take a deep dive into what Dedmon can possibly give Miami off the bench this season…

– A Defensive Relief Big

When talking about the Miami Heat’s defense, the one area that truly sticks out in their personnel is the drop-off with the bench. The numbers clearly plummet when Bam Adebayo exits the floor, but it doesn’t help that Goran Dragic, Tyler Herro, and Nemanja Bjelica are entering together.

So, this is why Dewayne Dedmon can impact some things off the bench for Miami. It’s always discussed that giving Erik Spoelstra options is the most important thing, and allowing him to pick and choose nights to use Bjelica or Dedmon, instead of settling for Precious Achiuwa who he doesn’t seem to trust, may be a huge positive for this team.

On this play, we see Dedmon’s ability to contain a guard in transition, as well as showcase his length to be able to protect the rim. Those attributes are important for a relief big, especially when comparing him to Achiuwa at this stage, since he’s been quite undersized against many bigs.

When Miami looks at certain guys as defensive players, it’s usually about the defensive IQ more than anything. Although Dedmon has a lot of the attributes that make up a good defensive big, he’s very good at finding the right spots on the floor to fill in, even when playing drop coverage on a lot of his past teams.

On this possession, as soon as he sees the ball-handler get a full head of steam, he steps up right into position to take the charge, which are the type of plays that stand out to a Heat organization. If he’s capable of making these plays at this stage of his career coming off an injury, then he can make a big impact during the regular season, which will continually be the point that is harped on.

Here’s another quick example of his ability to contain and block shots. He showed his athletic ability to immediately rise up and swat it, but this once again refers back to his health at the current stage. It’s not really confirmed that he will be as explosive on that end of the floor, but having a track record in that department is a good start.

Another element to this is that they’re adding another one of these experienced players, since although they have some youth mixed in, the way the roster is being built seems to point toward a team looking to make yet another postseason push.

It’s not that Precious Achiuwa should be compared in every aspect, but it is important when balancing the differences in what each can bring. Achiuwa has been known to bring a bit of energy to the floor through his explosiveness, and Dedmon has done that in his career as well, just in a much different and experienced way.

These type of plays are the kind of tellers that showcase an experienced defender, since late game possessions are always important to note. On this play, he’s clearly capable of staying with the versatile Julius Randle, proving that his angles on attackers refers back to the overall defensive IQ.

– A Possible Floor Spacer

I’m not going to dive into the shooting element too much, since the ups and downs have been apparent over his career. He’s had his impressive shooting stretches as he did with the Hawks, but has also had his down moments in other spots, while none of it has been linked to coverages. It just comes down to an inconsistent jumper.

The difference is that it’s widely known that percentages from beyond the arc always increase when joining the Heat, due to both coaching and the motion offense creating different opportunities. On this play, he hits an above the break three in transition, which is usually the shot that proves the capability of a deep threat. He’s also pretty efficient in the pick and pop, which could be quite the balance from Adebayo’s usual quick dives to the rim or mid-range pauses.

– An Interior Presence on the Roll

Now, although many like to immediately look to shooting numbers and abilities when acquiring players like this, that is not the area that I feel he can be the most effective. It’s actually his ability to dive to the rim with his long strides and lengthy wingspan to convert easy opportunities.

On this possession, it’s just a normal PnR against drop coverage, as Dedmon gets an easy bucket due to the quick roll and high spotting of Mitchell Robinson. Miami has a lot of drop coverage beaters, due to Butler’s intriguing offensive aggression moving downhill or Tyler Herro’s quick mid-range pull-up, which is the reason for Dedmon’s possible fit in the offense.

Here’s another example of his play against drop coverage, except this one is a bit more recent.

It shows more of that experienced presence, and an ability to get to the spots on the floor that he feels most comfortable. A floater in a dead spot is one of those things, and could become useful for a reserve tandem with Goran Dragic, since he has always been pretty good at finding the roller in their spots like this. And once again, if he still has the same athletic ability, it’ll make that off the bench duo even more dynamic.

When I say an athletic ability, this is what I mean, since he has a past of playing above the rim at times due to his length. He reads the play as his defender drops to cut-off the ball-handler, leading to another dive and dunk.

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It’s not certain that he will get any significant minutes as a back-up big with this team, but it’s a trusted option if Miami struggles on the defensive end of the floor like they did against Memphis, or possibly when shooters aren’t knocking down shots, so Dedmon has a chance at giving them that spark. That exact evaluation won’t be able to be predicted until he actually sees the floor with this team upon joining them.

– An Energetic Rebounder 

The last part of this is the rebounding addition. The Heat have had their moments this season where they just couldn’t grab a rebound, which would lead to opposing teams having much more shot attempts in the final box score.

Undersized big men, like Achiuwa, and non explosive rebounders, like Kelly Olynyk, will lead to that result. And well, this is yet another thing that Dedmon can bring to this team at his peak and fully healthy moments. On this play, we see a player who isn’t afraid to battle down low, and at times Miami has missed that interior presence.

So, even though a lot of the breakdowns in this article are truly hard to have any real takeaways due to the time gap, it’s by far the best option on the market as a low risk guy due to them needing to fill that roster spot anyway.