NBA Free Agents: Samuel Dalembert A Fit In Miami, Also Interested In Knicks, Rockets

The 2011 NBA Free Agent class is top heavy with big men, but Samuel Dalembert is a good defensive option. Could he be headed to the Heat?

by Michael Katz

Dec 5, 2011, 3:54 PM UTC

An NBA team could do worse than signing free agent big man Samuel Dalembert. In fact, Dalembert could be useful. The 7-foot Haitian-born is one of the best centers available on the NBA free agency market, somewhere after after Marc Gasol and Tyson Chandler.

Dalembert’s value is on the defensive end, where he vacuums up rebounds and turns away shots better than most NBA bigs. Last season, Dalembert averaged 1.45 block per game, good for 17th in the league, in just 24.2 minutes per game -- less time than every player who ranked above him on that list.

Hm: Is there a contender in need of a defensive anchor that would be unconcerned with ability to score in the post? Oh right: Miami Heat, step right up. Sometimes things make too much sense.

“If you look at the playoffs with Dallas, you saw what Tyson Chandler did,” Dalembert told FOXSports’ Chris Tomasson. “He was basically a key ingredient for them to win a championship. And Miami didn’t have somebody like that. Somebody able to stop (foes from) getting second shots and somebody able to rebound and finish. I could fill that role and be an asset for that team.”

Dalembert has also expressed interest in the Knicks and Rockets.

Here’s some more insight on Dalembert, who checked in at No. 16 on Tom Ziller’s Best NBA Free Agents 2011 list. Read:

Dalembert’s basic stat line isn’t terribly different than that of Tyson Chandler, but the Haitian Sensation is less efficient and more of a feast-or-famine post defender. That is to say he can be coaxed out of position to chase a block; Chandler is well-grounded in the fundamentals of stopping teams from scoring. As Dalembert is always focused on getting a swat, you can expect plenty of goaltending calls and recovery fouls.You can follow the latest news and rumors with our comprehensive NBA Free Agency StoryStream and find unparalleled insight in the Best NBA Free Agents 2011 cheat sheet.

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