CAMDEN, N.J. — The Philadelphia 76ers have 25 games to go until the playoffs begin in April, and they must integrate the recently acquired pieces into the team fabric.
After trading Matisse Thybulle to the Portland Trail Blazers in a four-team deal that brought in Jalen McDaniels from the Charlotte Hornets, the Sixers had enough available money under the salary cap to make a move in the buyout market.
They brought in Dewayne Dedmon, who played 30 games for the Miami Heat. While his numbers were underwhelming, the Sixers are confident he can make the team better off the bench. His size and his toughness intrigue Philadelphia.
PJ Tucker played with Dedmon in the 2021-22 season with the Miami Heat, so he is very familiar with what he brings to the table.
“Dewayne brings a versatile, tough big guy that is super vocal,” said Tucker. “He talks just as much as me. He’s loud and he’s got an aggressive voice and he’s been around. He knows how to play. So I think having those kind of guys on the bench to be able to come in on different nights and help us out, it’s gonna be huge for us down the stretch.”
Tucker and Dedmon are from that Heat team that beat the Sixers in the second round of the 2022 playoffs. Miami came within a win of the NBA Finals that season. Now, they look to do the same for Philadelphia.
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