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7 players the Orlando Magic gave up on too soon

By Luke Duffy

NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 13: U.S. Team's Elfrid Payton #4 of the Orlando Magic reacts with U.S. Team's Victor Oladipo #5 of the Orlando Magic during the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge as part of the 2015 NBA Allstar Weekend at the Barclays Center on February 13, 2015 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 13: U.S. Team's Elfrid Payton #4 of the Orlando Magic reacts with U.S. Team's Victor Oladipo #5 of the Orlando Magic during the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge as part of the 2015 NBA Allstar Weekend at the Barclays Center on February 13, 2015 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OH – NOVEMBER 24: Dewayne Dedmon of the Orlando Magic fights Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Will Cherry for a loose ball . (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – NOVEMBER 24: Dewayne Dedmon of the Orlando Magic fights Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Will Cherry for a loose ball . (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

7 players the Orlando Magic gave up on too soon

6. Dewayne Dedmon

Center Dewayne Dedmon is some comedown from the All-Star level talent of Chauncey Billups, but stick with us here while we try to break this one down.

Dedmon was with the Orlando Magic for three seasons, and in that time only started 41 out of the 133 games played. He averaged four points and 4.5 rebounds in less than 14 minutes of action.

A role player if ever there was one, and at 33 years old he has had a journeyman career in the league.

Alongside other backup bigs of the time like Kyle O’Quinn, Dewayne Dedmon had a few fans because of how hard he played, but mostly came and went without much fanfare.

Mere months after Dewayne Dedmon left, however, the Magic traded for Serge Ibaka. A disastrous move that took years to come back from.

You will argue the Ibaka move would have happened anyway, and you would be right. The Magic then doubled down on this logic however, and went out and got Bismack Biyombo that summer.

The four-year, $72-million deal given to him felt bad in the moment, and it has aged horribly. It became apparent immediately that the trio of Serge Ibaka, Bismack Biyombo and Nikola Vucevic was never going to work.

So the Magic letting Dedmon go did not mean much for what happened on the court.

But had he been allowed at 26 to be a backup to Vucevic, the Magic could have avoided a big man logjam, and spent money on different and better players during their rebuild.