NBA Trade Deadline 2020: 5 buried veterans who could help a contender

2. Dewayne Dedmon

It’s no secret Dewayne Dedmon wants out of his current situation — he publicly requested a trade, and was fined $50,000 by the NBA for it. However, if he gets his wish and is dealt away from the floundering Sacramento Kings in the next few weeks, that $50K penalty will be more than worth it.

In such a crowded frontcourt that should be focusing on its future cornerstones anyway, the addition of Dedmon to the pile was always going to be a bit of a head-scratcher. To no one’s surprise, the balancing act between playing the youngsters and satiating the vets has been a difficult one to manage, with Dedmon receiving the short end of the stick.

Averaging just 4.9 points and 4.0 rebounds in a meager 13.8 minutes per game, the 30-year-old stretch-big’s season is a far cry from the impact player he was with the Atlanta Hawks last year, when he posted 10.8 points and 7.5 rebounds a night on 38.2 percent shooting from 3-point range. The misery of his situation has seeped into his play, as he’s only managed to knock down 21.4 percent of his triples this year.

The Kings are currently 4.5 games out of a playoff spot, so it’s probably time for both sides to get the divorce and allow Dedmon to enjoy a healthy rebound with a playoff team that could actually put his two-way skills to better use. The biggest obstacle is trading for the contract Sacramento signed him to, since he’s owed $13.3 million this season, next season and in 2021-22. That’s fair money for a fully optimized Dedmon, but it definitely represents a longer investment than someone on an expiring deal.