Dewayne Dedmon manifests all the traits of an elite defensive player and beast of the boards, but his offensive deficiencies put a major cap on his upside for the time being.

Dewayne Dedmon is a player with very visible flaws.

He struggles to put the ball in the basket anywhere longer than point-blank range. He fouls often. And he is really just starting to get a handle on how to play the game of basketball.

But despite all that, he brings undeniable gifts and talents that can make the Orlando Magic a better basketball team.

Dedmon is the best shot blocker on the roster and he is tenacious on the glass. He plays his tail off every night, and he is one of those guys coach Scott Skiles will be able to count on for a focused intense effort every night.

Those attributes will get Dedmon on the court. How often he is on beyond that is really going to be a matter of whether he can begin to make some strides offensively.

Dedmon is something of an unwritten book offensively. He has no go-to moves, no sweet spots, and he seldom exhibits much comfort with the ball in his hands. By all accounts he is going to rely on Elfrid Payton to create most of his looks, and the Magic need Dedmon to be aggressive when he gets the ball in scoring position. If he does not, he will render the team playing 4-on-5, and he will most likely find his way to the bench in lieu of it.

Let’s look at Dedmon’s scoring potential first.