Hawks center Dewayne Dedmon is expected to be sidelined for the next three to six weeks due to a left tibia stress reaction, the team announced today in a press release. That timeline would put Dedmon on track to return in mid- to late-December at the earliest.
Dedmon, 28, inked a two-year, $12.3MM contract with the Hawks back in July. That deal includes a second-year player option worth $6.3MM, so any health issues Dedmon experiences this season could have an impact on whether or not he picks up that option.
So far, Dedmon has been enjoying a career year as the Hawks’ starting center. The former USC standout is playing a career-high 24.4 minutes per game, and his efficiency hasn’t taken a hit as he has assumed that increased role. In 20 games, he has recorded 11.1 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and a .601 FG%.
With Dedmon sidelined, rookie John Collins figures to see more time at center. Miles Plumlee, Ersan Ilyasova, and Luke Babbitt are among the other candidates to receive more minutes in the frontcourt with Mike Muscala still on the shelf as well.