Sixers center Dewayne Dedmon’s debut delayed; Joel Embiid cleared to play

The Sixers still do not have their primary backup at center ready to go, and their main center was just cleared to play.

Sixers Dewayne Dedmon warms up before the game with the Cavaliers at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Wednesday, February 15, 2023.Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer

by Keith Pompey

Published Feb. 23, 2023, 7:05 p.m. ET

Dewayne Dedmon’s season debut with the 76ers will be put on hold.

The reserve center will miss Wednesday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies with left hip tightness. Meanwhile, All-Star center Joel Embiid was cleared to play after being listed as probable with a non-COVID illness.

Embiid was not at Wednesday morning’s shootaround.

The Sixers signed Dedmon on Feb. 14, five days after he was waived by the San Antonio Spurs in the buyout market. The 7-foot, 245-pounder did not play in the Sixers’ victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Feb. 15.

He’s expected to bring a much-needed backup center presence for a team that gets exploited at the rim whenever Embiid is out of the game.

This marks Dedmon’s second stint with the Sixers. He signed two 10-day contracts with the team in January
of 2014. Dedmon has averaged 3.4 points, 4.3 rebounds in 13.6 minutes in 11 appearances.