Sixers signing Dewayne Dedmon as backup center, shoring up needed depth

Adding Dedmon allows the Sixers to address struggles they have experienced in moments when Joel Embiid goes to the bench.

by Keith Pompey

Published Feb. 13, 2023, 10:08 a.m. ET

The 76ers have fortified their frontcourt depth behind All-Star center Joel Embiid.

Dewayne Dedmon is signing with the Sixers for the remainder of the season, sources confirmed to The Inquirer. The 7-foot, 245-pounder became available after the San Antonio Spurs waived him Thursday, freeing him up to join another team.

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

This will mark Dedmon’s second stint with the Sixers.

Dedmon signed two 10-day contracts with the team in January 2014. He averaged 3.4 points, 4.3 rebounds in 13.6 minutes in 11 appearances.

The 10th-year veteran has averaged 6.4 points and 5.8 rebounds in 507 career games with the Sixers, Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, Miami Heat, and Spurs.

Dedmon has the ability to hit shots, making a career-best 40.7% from three last season with the Heat. He’s dealt with plantar fasciitis in his left foot for most of this season, causing him to lose some playing time. However, Dedmon was still expected to be one of the Heat’s key role players late in the season before failing to see eye-to-eye with coach Erik Spoelstra.

The two had a heated verbal altercation on the sideline during a game against the Thunder on Jan. 10. Dedmon ended up getting ejected for throwing a massage gun on the court. The team suspended him without pay for one game for conduct detrimental to the organization. They continued to sit him for the next 10 games before he played against the Bucks on Feb. 4 and was promptly traded to San Antonio three days later.

In addition to rejoining the Sixers, Dedmon is reuniting with former teammates Tobias Harris (Magic) and P.J. Tucker (Heat).

McDaniels’ praise

Jalen McDaniels has made a great first impression on the Sixers.

Coach Doc Rivers and several of the swingman’s teammates praised his performance following Saturday’s victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

Then on Monday, Shake Milton became the latest to praise McDaniels, whom the Sixers acquired from the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday in a four-team trade.

“He’s gonna be a great addition,” Milton said. “He’s just somebody who’s long, can defend, can shoot the ball. He can just do a little bit of everything. That’s the type of guy you want to play with. You can see it in the game already how he can make an impact defensively. And then offensively, he was screening and getting into spots, so he’s gonna be good for us.”

McDaniels had five points on 2-for-4 shooting along with four rebounds in 15 minutes, 40 seconds of court time.

Korkmaz away from team

Furkan Korkmaz was not with the Sixers for Monday night’s game against the Houston Rockets for what the team labeled personal reasons. The shooting guard is averaging 3.8 points while shooting 34.3% in 25 games this season.

Korkmaz requested to be moved before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. However, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey was unable to package him in a deal.