Dewayne Dedmon somewhat unexpectedly exercised his player option last summer, opting into the second of his 2-year deal with the Atlanta Hawks.
Some saw this as a surprise as Dedmon had established himself as an above-average center in the years prior, and especially his for first year in Atlanta. He could had easily nabbed a roster spot for a more competitive team, with likely the same amount of money.
This year the 7-footer has continued his improvement, averaging career bests in points, blocks and minutes per game, while adding a solid three-point game to his repertoire.