Nets: This Spencer Dinwiddie-DeMar DeRozan trade could work
By Jerry Trotta
The Nets could ship point guard Spencer Dinwiddie to San Antonio with this specific package.
Despite the lack of buzz surrounding them of late, we don’t doubt that the Brooklyn Nets are still looking to add more talent before the start of the 2020-21 season, which is set to get underway in approximately three weeks.
With seemingly every high-profile free agent off the market, however, the Nets will likely have to create a trade in order to make their desired upgrades. If we know one thing about spontaneous GM Sean Marks, it’s that he isn’t interested in depleting his resources to acquire another ball-dominant guard.
However, he might entertain the thought of unloading a player or two who will struggle to carve out a significant role in the revamped rotation, and Spencer Dinwiddie clearly falls under that category in light of Brooklyn bolstering their backcourt.
With Dinwiddie’s future with the Nets already in doubt, he took to social media in cryptic fashion over the weekend to further accentuate that notion.
— Spencer Dinwiddie (@SDinwiddie_25) November 28, 2020
We have no idea what that means, BUT, with Dinwiddie purchasing a home in San Antonio this past summer, the Spurs come to mind as a potential suitor. So, what could a potential deal between the two organizations look like?
For starters, Gregg Popovich’s side missed the playoffs for the first time since 1996-97 last season and we don’t love their chances this time around given that almost every team in the conference, at least on paper, got better this offseason.
Acquiring young talent — not pushing for a meaningless playoff spot — should be San Antonio’s top priority moving forward, and trading somebody like DeMar DeRozan, who exercised his $27 million player option a few weeks ago, would be a good start in embracing that cultural change.
The four-time All-Star would simply be wasted playing for a team that has a slim chance (at best) to qualify for the playoffs, and we couldn’t think of a better fit for him than the championship-aspirational Nets, who could use another player with vast postseason experience.
DeMar DeRozan will ACCEPT his $27 Million Player-Option, via @ChrisBHaynes. pic.twitter.com/o65QdLclZ3
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) November 16, 2020
Brooklyn would be taking on a major salary burden, so we’d probably be looking something along the lines of Dinwiddie and a first-round pick for DeRozan and a second-rounder (or perhaps a young, unproven player like Lonnie Walker IV?). In a vacuum, the Nets would unload an expendable player and a useless draft pick in return for a proven performer in the clutch who can average 20 points in his sleep and a pick they could flip in another trade down the road.
Keep in mind, the salary difference the Nets would be taking on here would be massive ($27 million vs. approximately $11 million for Dinwiddie). They certainly wouldn’t have to surrender much beyond Dinwiddie in this instance.
The Spurs, meanwhile, would add a versatile guard in Dinwiddie to deploy alongside starting point guard Dejounte Murray in the backcourt AND a draft pick that will assuredly be put to tremendous use.
Who says no?
