Former Spur Dedmon to join Heat
The Miami Heat’s search for an additional big man has led them to veteran NBA center Dewayne Dedmon, an NBA source confirmed Tuesday to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
The Heat faced a Thursday deadline to add a 14th player to their roster, after falling to 13 players under standard contract at the March 25 NBA trading deadline.
The signing is contingent on NBA pandemic protocols, and Dedmon passing a physical.
The Heat have been undermanned in the power rotation since dealing Meyers Leonard, Kelly Olynyk, Chris Silva and Moe Harkless in the deadline machinations that added Victor Oladipo, Trevor Ariza and Nemanja Bjelica.
In Dedmon, the Heat get a player who participated in their 2013 summer league and has a total of seven seasons of NBA experience with the Spurs, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings.
Dedmon last played in the NBA when he appeared in a combined 44 games last season with the Kings and Hawks.
The USC product has been out of the league since being dealt in November by the Hawks to the Detroit Pistons for Tony Snell and then waived.
Dedmon, 31, has averaged 6.4 points and 6.0 rebounds over his career, last season averaging 5.8 points and 5.7 rebounds.
The Heat’s move came after the market of available big men was thinned in recent days by the Los Angeles Clippers’ addition of Demarcus Cousins, the Sacramento Kings’ addition of Damian Jones, the Portland Trail Blazers’ two-way deal for TJ Leaf and the New York Knicks’ signing of Norvel Pelle and John Henson.
Among other recent NBA big men out of the league who stood as signing options were Ian Mahinmi, Kyle O’quinn and Skal Labissiere.
Currently, Bam Adebayo is the only player listed as a center on the Heat roster, and he is listed as a combination forward/center.
Source: Lakers to sign Mclemore
The Los Angeles Lakers are signing guard Ben Mclemore for the rest of the season, a person with knowledge of the decision said Tuesday.
The person spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the defending NBA champions haven’t yet announced the signing of the eight-year veteran.
Mclemore, the seventh pick in the 2013 draft by the Kings, fills the Lakers’ final open roster spot after the club picked up center Andre Drummond last week.
Mclemore was released last weekend by the Houston Rockets after 103 games with the club over two seasons. He averaged 7.4 points and 2.1 rebounds in a reserve role this season.
Mclemore will be another candidate to provide 3-point shooting accuracy on the Lakers’ wing. Mclemore is a career 36.3 percent 3-point shooter, but he hit 40.2 percent from distance combined during the 2018-19 season with Sacramento and the 2019-20 season with Houston.