When watching the Atlanta Hawks this season, their lack of size in the frontcourt has become increasingly apparent.
Starting center Clint Capela has average height for a pivot at 6-foot-10. However, his slender 240-pound frame repeatedly hinders him from being as dominant on the glass as his 7-foot-5 wingspan might otherwise allow. Moving down the depth chart, backup center Onyeka Okongwu looks much more like a forward than a true big man at 6-foot-8 and 235 pounds.
Shifting the focus to the power forward position, where players often have a wider range of physical attributes, the Hawks start the 6-foot-9 and 220-pound Jalen Johnson. Behind him on the depth chart is the 6-foot-7 and 215-pound Saddiq Bey. Both Johnson’s springiness and Bey’s strength help them on the glass. Yet, because they’re paired with slightly undersized big men, their physical attributes can only help so much.
Should the Hawks Sign Dewayne Dedmon?
Now ranking 24th in defensive rebounding this season with 31.9 per game, the Atlanta Hawks are one of the worst teams in the NBA on the defensive glass.
Unfortunately for the Hawks, there aren’t simple solutions to this problem. Atlanta could preach gang rebounding, swarming the paint to make it harder for opposing players to get an extra possession for their team. Alternately, they could dig into the fundamentals, focusing on boxing out underneath and tracking long rebounds with multiple bodies.
However, on the fly and in the middle of the season, expecting substantial improvements from this point forward may be foolhardy. There may be progress from the Hawks, but they’re unlikely to transform into a dominant rebounding team. Subsequently, the best way for the Hawks to improve their execution on the boards could be via free agency.
To that point, though the free agent cupboard is relatively bare, there’s one name that stands out in particular given Atlanta’s team needs: Dewayne Dedmon.
The Veteran Leader Returns
Dewayne Dedmon, 7-foot-0 and 245 pounds, has yet to suit up all season.
Currently with the G League’s Ontario Clippers, Dedmon is a 10-year NBA veteran that’s played for several franchises. In fact, one of his former teams is the Atlanta Hawks.
Suiting up for the Hawks two-plus seasons. Dedmon started in 106 of the 136 games he played with Atlanta. He averaged 10.2 points, 7.7 rebounds (6.1 defensive), and 1.0 block in 24.9 minutes per game.
This season, the Hawks should bring Dedmon back to play a minor rotation role. To that point, given that both he and Onyeka Okongwu have demonstrated an ability to shoot beyond the arc, they may even be able to play beside each other in the second unit.
At 34 years old, Dedmon also provides Atlanta with another veteran voice. Indeed, when the Hawks acquired him in Feb. 2020, his vocal leadership was one of the reasons why.
“He’s a very vocal guy in [the locker room] just like he’s a very vocal guy on the court,” Hawks former general manager Travis Schlenk would say at the time (per Daniel Comer of Peachtree Hoops).
“That’s important when you talk about your bigs in the NBA,” Schlenk continued. “Bigs in the NBA defensively are like the quarterbacks. They see everything, they have to call out the picks and just let everybody know what’s coming to them.”
Perhaps no testimony was as great as the one delivered by former Hawks forward John “The Baptist” Collins (who now plays for the Utah Jazz).
“You see the communication, the leadership…,” Collins said. “The veteran leadership that he brings. Pointing guys, putting everybody in position and spacing the floor. What more can I say? I’m glad to have big Dewayne back.”
Suffice it to say, Dedmon would provide a legitimate boost. The question is which player the Hawks would be willing to waive in order to sign him. Atlanta already faces decisions about guard Trent Forrest, who is on the verge of reaching the maximum number of games that a player on a two-way contract can be available.
The Cuts
If the Atlanta Hawks were to sign Dewayne Dedmon, it would likely come at the expense of 3-point specialist Wesley Matthews. Now shooting under 34 percent from 3 for the fourth consecutive season, Matthews hasn’t been impactful on the floor. Furthermore, he won’t under contract past this season.
To that point, Matthews makes $4.8 million less than Patty Mills this season. Though Mills hasn’t done anything particularly notable on the court either this season, his contract may just keep him in Atlanta. It doesn’t hurt that the Hawks have thin point guard depth, either.
As an aside, if Atlanta were to sign Trent Forrest for the rest of the season, the Hawks would likely have to cut fan favorite Bruno Fernando. However, considering Forrest’s production this season when compared to Fernando’s, it’s more likely that Atlanta simply keeps Forrest on a two-way contract. This becomes increasingly likely as 2023 first-round pick Kobe Bufkin continues to show promise.
