NBA Free Agency: Could Mike Budenholzer and Dewayne Dedmon reunite in Milwaukee?

Salary

This is where Dedmon’s situation gets interesting, albeit challenging for the Bucks.

Dedmon has a player option for next season with the Hawks which would see him paid just under $7 million. Heading into a free agency market where spending is expected to be restrained and centers may be the biggest victims of that crunch, that’s a significant amount for Dedmon to potentially turn down.

Still, if he and his representatives feel confident he can secure a deal for the full mid-level exception or a significant share of it, it’s not impossible for him to fall somewhere in the same range.

Alternatively, coming off a career year and approaching his 29th birthday, Dedmon may also be open to a deal that sees him make less in the short term but provides long-term security. As the Hawks lean even further into a full rebuild, there’s also a chance that Dedmon could be swayed by an opportunity to be on a more competitive team.

Like any decision for the Bucks and any player who could prove to be a candidate in the mid-level range, exactly what Milwaukee could offer Dedmon would depend on other decisions. While the mid-level for non-tax teams is projected to come in at $8.5 million, for tax payers the amount is just $5.3 million.

Jabari Parker‘s future will dictate Milwaukee’s flexibility in that regard, while trades to move on from the salary of costly players such as John Henson, Matthew Dellavedova or Eric Bledsoe could also open up options.