Center
If aging and injuries weren’t variables in the NBA, the group of free agent centers would look much more tempting. Just over a year ago, DeMarcus Cousins would warrant a max contract with any team, but due to an achilles injury, Boogie will be lucky to earn more than $10 million annually.
Al Horford is another player who the Clippers might’ve had interest in. However, the Dominican big man is rumored to be seeking a long and lucrative deal, and considering that he isn’t getting any younger, it might be best for the Clippers to stay away.
There is an under-the-radar candidate to fill the void at center in the Clippers rotation that is not injured, expensive, nor old.
Dewayne Dedmon (ATL)
Dewayne Dedmon was nothing to write home about when he was with the Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic and San Antonio Spurs. However, when he joined the Atlanta Hawks, Dedmon took a leap and became the ideal, modern, big-man.
Dedmon can score at the rim (where he shoots 70.1 percent), but he can also stretch the floor and knock down 3-pointers (where he shot 38.2 percent this season). To be a successful big in the modern NBA, you have to be able to hit from 3-point land. There have been players like Jahlil Okafor who have failed in the league because they are back-to-the-basket scorers who can’t hit from further than 10 feet. Dedmon adding a three point shot was crucial to earning a living playing basketball.
His defense can’t be written off either. While he is no glass cleaner like Rudy Gobert or Joel Embiid, Dedmon still uses his size and length to intimidate driving opponents and make them rethink what they are doing.
Dedmon will not be a franchise cornerstone center like Nikola Jokic or Karl-Anthony Towns, but he will fill a hole in the Clippers’ rotation.
Dedmon earned roughly $7 million last season, and considering his last two years in Atlanta are the best of his career, he will likely be looking for a pay raise. The Clippers should offer him a contract in the area of $10-12 million per year. This is a very fair price for what Dedmon brings to the table.