The 13-year-veteran center was a disaster in New York last season. After appearing in 32 games, including 21 starts, the Knicks waived Dalembert in early January, and he remained unsigned for the rest of the season. Dalembert averaged 4.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in his limited time with New York, playing 17 minutes per game. He struggled with his shot, connecting on a career-worst 44 percent from the field. Dalembert returned to the team that traded him to the Big Apple, signing with the Mavericks in the offseason. He recorded 68 starts in his previous stint with the Mavs but may have to fight for one of the final roster spots after signing a one-year deal. Dallas, desperate for big men after the departure of Tyson Chandler and the DeAndre Jordan fiasco, added multiple veteran centers including Dalembert, Zaza Pachulia, and JaVale McGee. The team also signed Tunisian center Salah Mejri, setting up a fierce frontcourt competition. Dalembert has experience on his side but will have to impress to earn the attention of coach Rick Carlisle and fantasy owners alike.
Before being traded to the Knicks this offseason, Dalembert averaged 6.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 20 minutes per game over 80 appearances for the Mavericks last season. The 33-year-old center started 68 games for Dallas and shot a career-best 57 percent from the field last term. Entering his 13th NBA season, Dalembert has long carved out a niche as a solid defender and rebounder, which should help the Knicks replace Tyson Chandler on the interior this year. Nonetheless, Dalembert has played less than 25 minutes per game since the 2009-10 campaign, so New York is expected to fill their center position with numerous rotating bodies this season. While Dalembert's defensive prowess could ultimately earn him the Knicks' starting position, his offensive limitations might preclude him from seeing significant playing time on a consistent basis in new coach Derek Fisher's Triangle offense. In contrast, his chief competitors at center – Jason Smith, Amar'e Stoudemire, and Andrea Bargnani – are most noted for their offense, but fall short defensively. Given that dynamic, Dalembert should continue in his usual rim protector role with the Knicks, offering fantasy owners in deeper leagues decent rebounding, blocks, and field goal percentage potential.
The 2012-13 campaign was a lost cause for Dalembert. Originally expected to see an expanded role in his first (and only) season with the Bucks, Dalembert was never able to get on the same page as Milwaukee's coaching staff, and he was quickly pushed to a depth role after the early-season emergence of Larry Sanders. By the end of the season, Dalembert saw just 16 minutes per game and finished with averages of 6.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 47 appearances. Despite his down season, Dalembert's per-minute production was actually the best of his career. He signed with Dallas this offseason and should slide right into the team's starting five at the center position. While he's past the prime of his career, Dalembert has still proven to be a fantasy asset in the rebounding and blocked shot categories while providing solid percentages when given the playing time. With the playing time seemingly on tap, Dalembert should be on fantasy radars for draft day.
After stints with the Sixers and Kings, Dalembert spent the 2011-12 campaign with the Rockets. Overall, his numbers were down during his time with the Rockets, but that was mainly due to his playing time being cut down to 22 minutes per game, which marked the lowest amount of playing time Dalembert had seen since his rookie campaign in 2001-02. His solid per-minute production held steady, though, as Dalembert finished with averages of 7.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. The one area where he showed marked improvements was at the charity stripe, shooting a career-high 79.6 percent. The 31-year-old center was traded to Milwaukee in the offseason. He’ll join a crowded frontcourt of Ersan Ilyasova, Drew Gooden and Ekpe Udoh, but odds are Dalembert starts and carves out a more significant role than he saw in Houston. At this stage of his career, Dalembert doesn’t have as much upside as past years, but he’s still a solid rebounder and defender who should see an uptick in value with an expanded role on his new squad.
Dalembert’s first season with the Kings was very similar to his final campaign with the Sixers. The lanky (6-11, 250) center averaged exactly the same amount of points (8.1) while seeing slight drops in rebounds (8.2), blocks (1.5) and field-goal percentage (47.3). Those stats aren’t eye-popping, but when factoring in that Dalembert only played 24 minutes per game, it’s easy to see how effective of a player he remains. He’ll hit the free-agent market once the NBA settles the labor situation and will likely look for one last big payday. A return to Sacramento would mean a limited role once again, as he would contend for minutes with DeMarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson and J.J. Hickson in a crowded Kings’ frontcourt. The best course of action for Dalembert from a fantasy standpoint would be a new home. His per-36 numbers last season (12.0 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.2. blocks) were solid, so if he can land a starting gig on another squad, he’d be a good bet to return to the production we saw during his prime years in Philly.
Dalembert scored just 8.1 ppg last year but continued to produce on the boards (9.6 rpg) while blocking shots (1.8 bpg) in limited playing time (25:53 mpg). It was the second straight mediocre season by Dalembert, though last year's can partially be blamed on his mind being elsewhere (dealing with the tragic Haiti earthquake, which is where he's from). He was also unhappy playing in Philadelphia, but Sacramento decided to give up promising young center Spencer Hawes in return for Dalembert, who has just one year remaining on his contract. The Kings have long coveted Dalembert, and the team feels he fits what they are going to try to do in 2010-11, which is implement an uptempo style. However, with DeMarcus Cousins, Carl Landry and Jason Thompson all on the roster, Dalembert will join a frontcourt that's fairly crowded, so his minutes could remain limited.
After a disappointing 2008-09 campaign, Dalembert’s status entering this season is unclear. While he should maintain the starting center role with the Sixers, new head coach Eddie Jordan won’t hesitate to strip Dalembert of the gig if his struggles from last year linger. Dalembert provides true center production by corralling big rebound and block numbers. Most of his offense comes from offensive rebounds, put-backs, and the pick and roll. Once considered an injury risk, Dalembert hasn’t missed a game in the last three years. The Sixers have not been shy in acknowledging their efforts to move Dalembert since early last season. And while Dalembert has welcomed the possibility of a move to another team, he’s likely to stay in Philly. He was often removed early from games for a series of reasons that included lack of effort and early foul trouble. Ironically, while his floor time was cut by nearly nine minutes a game last year, his per-game averages remained close to the previous year’s averages. Another reason to worry about Dalembert’s playing time this year is Jordan’s seemingly contentious relationships with his centers while he was coaching the Wizards – Brendan Hayward and Andray Blatche were often reportedly benched for personal reasons. With Marreese Speights and Elton Brand capable of playing center, and Thaddeus Young spending most of his year at power forward last season, Dalembert could find himself with an even further reduced role.
Dalembert is coming off a strong season in which he shattered his career-high in rebounding (10.4 rpg) and became one of only nine players to average a points/rebounds double-double (10.5 ppg). At a long and quick 6-11, 250, with explosive leaping ability Dalembert has the physical tools to be a standout NBA center. Dalembert improved his decision-making last season (1.9 TOs/game, 5-year best 3.3 PF/game) which allowed him to stay on the court (career-high 33.2 mpg) and contribute to a Philadelphia team that made it to the postseason. Dalembert also has an iron man streak going, having started in all 82 games in each of the last two seasons. The presence of Elton Brand on the Sixers could eat into Dalembert�s rebounding opportunities, but Brand is a good defender and decent passer which may allow Dalembert to add a few blocks and score with more efficiency while playing off of him this season.
Dalembert is coming off a strong season in which he reclaimed full-time starter status and set new career-highs in scoring (10.7 ppg), boards (8.9 rpg) and both shooting percentages (54.1% FG, 74.6% FT). At a long and quick 6-11, 250 pounds with explosive leaping ability Dalembert has the physical tools to be a standout NBA center. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have great hands and makes questionable decisions (2.0 turnovers per game despite not handling the ball much) which had previously limited his minutes on a Philadelphia team with postseason aspirations. With Allen Iverson and Chris Webber gone, the rebuilding Sixers are able to show more patience with Dalembert’s mistakes which leads to more opportunities. Expect Dalembert to continue to get those minutes this season. If he does, he could be a top-10 roto center. Dalembert suffered a stress fracture in his foot in early September but is expected to be healthy for the start of training camp.
Dalembert got a contract for big dollars prior to the 2005-06 season, but the club was not happy with his production. His 7.4 ppg, 8.2 rpg and 2.4 bpg sounds serviceable, but at $60 million over six years, it’s employee theft. He really tailed off after the All-Star break and found himself riding the bench for one 14-game stretch in March. He reclaimed the starting job from Steven Hunter, but averaged just 4.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in the final 27 games. His star isn’t shining so brightly right now, and he needs to burnish his offensive game to become a complete fantasy player.
After his impressive play in the postseason (11.6 ppg, 12.8 rpg, 55.3% FG-pct. against Detroit), Dalembert signed a six-year deal, so there’s no question who will be the Sixers’ starter in the low post this season. A long-term deal wasn’t expected a year ago when former coach Jim O’Brien had Dalembert playing behind Marc Jackson and Brian Skinner. Those two are now gone, so Dalembert will have an unfettered opportunity to produce this year. In 60 starts last season, he averaged 9.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.77 blocks in 26.0 minutes per game. The situation is right for him to get more playing time and improve on those numbers this year.
Once inserted into the starting lineup, Dalembert gave the 76ers some stability at the center position for the first time in a season and a half. In 53 starts, he averaged 9.2 points and 9.2 rebounds with 2.74 blocks (season 2.30 bpg) and shot 52.9 percent from the field (season 54.1 percent FG). Despite this success, the team pursued Mark Blount in the offseason and eventually signed Brian Skinner. Dalembert should continue to start for Philadelphia, where we expect his development to continue. His shot-blocking ability makes him a valuable play.
As the Sixers' lone shot-blocker, Dalembert could play significant minutes this season -- if his left knee holds up. According to Joe Juliano of the
Philadelphia Inquirer, Dalembert says the knee is still not 100%, "but I'm OK when I'm playing." A healthy Dalembert would allow Coach Randy Ayers to move Derrick Coleman to his natural position at power forward.
