Dewayne Dedmon could be an ideal asset for the Denver Nuggets.
The Denver Nuggets still have not made a decision on Mason Plumlee, which makes one wonder if they are going to bring him back and if they don’t, they should target Dewayne Dedmon. Dedmon is a Spurs product who came along nicely last season.
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He is a versatile big who can provide length and rim protection and be a solid back up for Nikola Jokic. He would have more opportunities with the Nuggets provided they trade Kenneth Faried and possibly Darrell Arthur. Dedmon averaged a defensive rating of 99 last year per basketball-reference.com, which means Denver would be getting an upgrade in the defensive department.
Dedmon could also form an intriguing front court duo with Millsap if Denver toys with a lineup with the two of them at all. He and Millsap would be a fearsome tandem defensively whenever Jokic needs a breather. The complicated part is how expensive Dedmon would be for the Nuggets. Per spotrac.com, he holds a cap hit of $3,477,600. This may be a little too expensive for Denver as they have already signed Paul Millsap to a 3 year, $90 million mega deal.
If they really wanted the services of Dedmon, they would most likely have to shed some of their salary by trading away players like a Kenneth Faried. Not to mention, Denver may want to save some money as they are wanting to extend Gary Harris and have enough left over to keep Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray when their respective contracts expire.
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Through a smart trade though, Denver could shed enough salary to afford the likes of Dedmon. The key is trading the right pieces and making sure they are set for the future.
Dedmon would be a financial risk for Denver, but he could also be a vital upgrade in the defensive category.