Miami Heat: Dewayne Dedmon Is The Heat’s Real X-Factor

After a rollercoaster ending to the last two Miami Heat campaigns, a lot of uncertainty still surrounds the team entering this season.

One of the biggest questions is who will provide consistent help at the center spot once Bam Adebayo takes his rest on the bench. The All-Star big man has been on a tear all preseason long, but we need him fresh and prepared for the playoffs.

While ceiling was one of the areas of concern for the Miami Heat last year, it was addressed by adding a veteran and serviceable center late in the season, who can arguably have one of the most important roles for our team now.

Dewayne Dedmon could be the X-factor for the Miami Heat this season

Yes, Dewayne Dedmon could really be the key to the Miami Heat’s success this year.

Initially acquired back in April, the seven-foot center appeared in 16 regular-season games and all four playoff games for the Heat. He may not be the biggest name in the league among non-starters, but Dedmon certainly made his presence felt, leading to the front office deciding to re-sign him for another season.

His 7.1 PPG and 5.4 RPG averages may not be eye-popping numbers, but considering he only played 13.1 MPG and finished with a field goal percentage of 70.8%, the 32-year-old USC product certainly showed that he has what it takes to become a difference-maker for the Heat.

It doesn’t hurt that there’s another big man on the bench, who at this point seems like a project, in Omer Yurtseven. He will only lessen the pressure off Dedmon’s shoulders to pick up where he left off last season. That being said, Erik Spoelstra can also experiment in playing him alongside Bam Adebayo, with Dedmon at the five – his natural position.

Sure, there’s a lot of hope, and expectations are high for the Heat’s two backup centers, but we all know that things can go south in an instant in the NBA. In an ideal world, we can already see Dedmon holding his own against the likes of Brook Lopez, Nic Claxton, and Andre Drummond, among others. However, it’s also a fact that things are easier said than done.

It will take a herculean effort, as well as a stroke of luck or two, but if there’s any team that has proven that they should never be slept on, it’s our Miami Heat. The Heat Culture is always there, and it may already be in Dedmon’s DNA now. So who knows, maybe we’ll all be shouting “It’s Dewayne Time!” sooner rather than later.