Sacramento Kings center Dewayne Dedmon wants out of his current situation, reports the Athletics’ NBA insider Shams Charania.
The seven-year veteran has seen his minutes nearly cut in half from what he received at his last stop with the Atlanta Hawks, and has logged some of the worst numbers of his career as a result.
Boston Celtics fans keen to upgrade the team’s frontcourt rotation are already daydreaming about the Californian big man’s fit and and availability, and given his recent past, it’s understandable why.
Dedmon recorded a career season in 2018-19 with the Hawks, logging 10.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks over 25.1 minutes per game while shooting .382 from beyond the arc 3.4 times per contest.
Kings center Dewayne Dedmon wants out of Sacramento, per league sources. More context and info on @TheAthleticNBA’s Inside Pass: https://t.co/b31ujfqg8P
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 27, 2019
This season, the USC product is putting up a mere 4.8 points, 3.8 boards and .5 blocks per tilt over just 13.6 minutes a game, with the reduced role behind much of the slump.
This drop in playing time is a result of a mutual falling-out between Dedmon and Kings head coach Luke Walton, with each side believing the situation has progressed to the point of being irreparable, Charania relates.
In fact, the 30-year-old center has received DNP-CDs eight of his last ten games, a strong signal the big man’s time in Sacramento is drawing to a close.
A solid rim protector able to rebound and stretch the floor is certain to get followers of most NBA teams interested, but for the Celtics, the Lancaster native’s paycheck presents a significant obstacle.
Earning $13.3 million this season, Dedmon’s contract makes deals that would make sense for Boston functionally impossible, as salary matching would require dealing one of Boston’s four best players.
This conundrum has been at the center of a number of proposed trade ideas in recent weeks, with some analysts even hearing the Celtics might instead move to trade for a wing if they make a move at all.
It's a shame the Celtics don't have a realistic way to match that salary, I like Dedmon a lot https://t.co/nUx2HQ2Lzc
— Daniel Poarch (@DanielfromSport) December 27, 2019
While it’s true that Boston is in need of a big who can help contain the Giannis Antetokounmpos and Joel Embiids of the NBA, they are far from alone in that regard.
It’s also worth noting that even with Dedmon’s ability to draw out non-shooting bigs on the attack, it’s mainly the other side of the ball the Celtics need help with from a five.
The unhappy big man will likely find a home in a hurry if things are indeed beyond repair with his current team, but the odds that it’s with the Celtics are very low indeed, barring a surprise buyout if no other franchises come courting.