As the newest member of the Miami Heat, Dewayne Dedmon seems ready to do whatever is asked of him to help the Heat once again challenge for an NBA title.
The 31-year-old Dedmon was off the court before being signed by the Heat and is now ready to contribute in any way possible.
“I came off the couch,” Dedmon said. “I started. I did not play. I got it all right, ”he said of his eight-year career, which included the Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, San Antonio Spurs, Atlanta Hawks and Sacrament Kings. So I’m here, I’m prepared, I’m ready. Whatever Coach needs, I’m ready for it, whether it’s five minutes, 12 minutes, 50 minutes. ”
One expectation is that Dedmon will be used as a defense option for the Heat, and its 7-foot frame is expected to be an asset.
“I feel like I’m on the defensive side, helping with the skin protection, helping to jump back, getting more opportunities for these shooters we have here,” Dedmon said. ‘So I come in, block a few shots, get some more offensive signs, give the guards a little more offense. I feel it will help a lot. ”
One interesting facet of Dedmon’s game over the last few years that has changed is its improvement when it comes to shots from outside the arc.
“Everyone needs edge protection, everyone needs to jump in again,” he said. ‘But you have to develop your game over time, and that’s something I did. So it does not take away from the defensive intensity I bring to the table, but just adds a little more to it. ”
While the heat would like to see Dedmon score 3 points regularly, they only hope that Dedmon can complement the work that Bam Adebayo does every night.
The Heat have won five of their last six games and will begin a four-game Western Conference game in Portland on Sunday night, with Dedmon ready to make his presence known.