After making a splash at the deadline by trading for Clint Capela, the Atlanta Hawks quickly brought in his back-up center by nabbing DeWayne Dedmon from the Sacramento Kings.
This will be Dedmon's second stint in Georgia, as the Hawks gave up Alex Len, Jabari Parker to acquire his services anew.
Among those thrilled with the seven-foot slotman's return is Atlanta's General Manager Travis Schlenk.
Per Hawks reporter Kevin Chouinard, the 44-year-old executive bared his delight upon getting Dedmon back after losing him in free agency over the summer.
“We are happy to welcome Dewayne back to Atlanta. In his time with us, he developed into a reliable outside shooter and strong interior defender. His veteran presence, competitiveness and vocal leadership will be invaluable to our locker room.”
Dewayne Dedmon went undrafted in 2013. After splitting time between the NBA and the G-League in his early years, the 30-year-old center established himself as a dependable and hardworking center during his brief stays with the Orlando Magic and the San Antonio Spurs.
Dedmon first landed in Atlanta in 2017 and would work his way to the starting center position, He enjoyed his best years as a pro with the Hawks, notching 10.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks in 64 games last year.
His stock certainly rose following two solid years in Atlanta. Dedmon became a prized free agent in the offseason and eventually agreed to a three-year, $40 million contract with the Sacramento Kings.
The Kings, however, opted to bury him on the bench despite their limited options due to injuries. Baffled by head coach Luke Walton's decision not to give him minutes, Dedmon publicly asked for a trade last month and was fined $50,000 by the league.
Dedmon will now have a fresh start with the Hawks and hope to replicate the same production he had last year. He notched 5.1 points and 4.9 rebounds in 34 appearances for Sacramento.
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