Brooklyn Nets: 2017-18 player grades for Spencer Dinwiddie
By Alec Liebsch
Weaknesses
While Dinwiddie’s precision passing and sky-high I.Q. are welcome additions, they are also necessary due to other distinct flaws in his game.
For starters, Dinwiddie is not the best shooter. He only shot 32.6 percent from 3 on 5.4 attempts per game. To truly fit in this offense, Dinwiddie has to be an above-average shot-creator. It is imperative to open up the rest of his game. Just imagine how many precision dimes he can drop if he can respectably space the floor.
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Not only is this vital for his game, but it is also vital for his fit next to DLo. Russell has his own crucial flaws offensively, but for the two to coexist as ball-handlers, they must also be capable off the ball. DLo has progressed much better off the ball than Dinwiddie, and the latter must improve as a floor-spacer to make the fit as devastating as it can be.
Additionally, Dinwiddie must improve his defensive presence. For a player with his elite size (6’6″), he should be able to switch effectively with DLo, Allen Crabbe, and Caris LeVert on the perimeter. The team did defend better with Dinwiddie on the floor, but only marginally (0.9 fewer points allowed per 100 possessions). Not to mention that most of those minutes came without DLo, a glaring defensive liability.
You might think I’m criticizing Dinwiddie too much for things DLo must also improve, but for those who have read my other pieces, you know how good I believe this team can be. For Dinwiddie to truly coexist with an offensive alpha like Russell, he must be able to cover for Russell’s weaknesses. The things DLo is capable of are much rarer than Dinwiddie’s, which means the latter must be able to complement more so than be the head honcho.
Optimally, Dinwiddie and Russell will be staggered so that at least one is always on the floor. But even if Dinwiddie is by himself, he will still get playing time with point-wings like LeVert and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. In an offense and league progressing away from singular ball-handlers, Dinwiddie must have an off-ball presence on both ends.