The Brooklyn Nets of yesteryear needed to find some G League gems to rehabilitate this roster, and Spencer Dinwiddie was able to evolve from a toolsy 6-6 guard into a genuinely impressive scorer with the ability to handle the ball, finish inside, and play good defense under Kenny Atkinson.
While the arrival of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, later followed by the James Harden addition, turned the Nets into an offensive juggernaut, there was still hope that Dinwiddie could end up becoming the perfect bench player to supplement the superstars and veteran role players.
That dream came to an end when Dinwiddie tore his ACL after just three games. With a player option for next season, Dinwiddie wants to test the free-agent market.
He isn’t looking for a short “prove it” deal, though, as he thinks that his play over the last few years has warranted him getting star money.
In an interview with Howard Beck, Dinwiddie claimed that he would go back to the Nets if they give him a contract that clocks in at $125 million over five seasons. We like Dinwiddie as much as the next guy here, but there is no proof you can present that says he is worth that contract. If he’s planting his flag here, the Nets might have to get comfortable with saying goodbye to him.
Spencer Dinwiddie: ‘High likelihood I go back to Nets’ if they offer $125 million over five https://t.co/gtzBPYspog pic.twitter.com/kqTnyA2wgj
— NetsDaily (@NetsDaily) July 8, 2021
The Brooklyn Nets can’t afford to pay Spencer Dinwiddie like that.
That average annual value of $25 million would put Dinwiddie in the same category as players like Jrue Holiday, Bradley Beal, and Jaylen Brown. While the former Colorado stud can impact the game on both ends, his production shouldn’t warrant a contract like that.
Dinwiddie did average 18.6 points per game during the 2018 and 2019 seasons, but he is still a 41% shooter for his career, and those two years were the only seasons in which he topped 13 points per game in his career. That sounds like a solid role player, not someone about to earn max money.
Salaries might be going up, but paying $125 million for a player that has either been a backup point guard or slightly above-average off-ball shooting guard for most of his career would be a very risky move. The league needs to see if his explosion and offensive game are the same post-injury.
Dinwiddie’s game is based around using his long, gangly frame and surprising speed to blow past smaller guards while sniping them from beyond the 3-point line. With two more years of elite scoring under his belt, he might be worth $125 million. As it stands right now, his market value is nowhere close to that.
Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News mentioned that the Mavericks are interested in signing him, and it looks like Dallas could be a perfect spot for Dinwiddie. He can rebuild his value in a high-octane offense. The Mavericks are a risky organization, but they’re not going to give damaged goods like Dinwiddie a nine-figure sum.
Dinwiddie can be a perfect No. 4 option on a good team or a star Sixth Man on a title contender, and while that role will undoubtedly have some value, getting a contract like that off of a major injury and one season of above-average production is unrealistic. We wish Dinwiddie the best, but he might be a bit disappointed with the offers he receives.
He needs to recalibrate and figure out what his true value is worth, because if he remains stuck on his evaluation, it could be a very long time before he ends up signing a contract. Killing it on a one-year deal is the best course of action for someone in his situation.
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