Brooklyn Nets: Grading the Spencer Dinwiddie extension

Less than a week after being allowed to negotiate an extension with the Brooklyn Nets, guard Spencer Dinwiddie has reportedly agreed to one.

The wait is finally over: Former castaway Spencer Dinwiddie has agreed to sign an extension with the Brooklyn Nets. Just a little over two years after being snagged off the scrap heap, Dinwiddie finally has a long-term home.

Coincidentally, this came mere hours after he shredded the Philadelphia 76ers for a career-high 39 points en route to the team’s third straight win. The two events are relatively independent, but feel free to pull strings as you please.

After all, this is a great time to be a Dinwiddie fan. He earned the extension, despite my heavy criticism of him recently. He’s a good basketball player who has improved in every facet of his game since coming to Brooklyn.

According to ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Nets extended him favorably:

Dinwiddie is betting on himself with this deal. In the event that he outperforms this contract, he can opt out after the third year. By the same token, the Nets will pay him at a discounted rate for at least two more seasons, which allows them to go star hunting in the short-term.

In regards to free agency, Brooklyn is an even more attractive destination than before. From the Joe Harris extension to this Dinwiddie extension, the Nets clearly place an emphasis on rewarding those who earn it. Bargain-bin players already wanted to come to Brooklyn, such as Ed Davis and Shabazz Napier, but now there is even more evidence in the franchise’s favor.

This is also a testament to Brooklyn’s development program. Finding another diamond in the rough like Dinwiddie only bolsters the team’s acumen in this department. As other youngsters like Jarrett Allen and Rodions Kurucs find their footing, it seems like the front office does a good job maximizing its assets.

How did Dinwiddie earn this money, you ask? The same way he took the bull by the horns last season while everyone was injured.

His relentless attack at the rim opens up a lot for Brooklyn’s offense, as he’s made an art of attacking gaps in the defense. He’s improved his efficiency this season (55.5 effective field goal percentage), which has led to more efficient shots for his teammates too.

His most recent outburst in Philly was a microcosm of what makes Dinwiddie truly dangerous: his cold-blooded shooting. At one point in the game on Wednesday, Dinwiddie hit three straight 3-pointers and completely deflated the then-third seed in the East. He has caught fire from downtown before, although it’s not always predictable.

Considering how few other players on the roster can create their own shots like Dinwiddie, it’s only fair to credit him this way. D’Angelo Russell has his moments out of the pick-and-roll, but he continues to make poor decisions when it matters most.

Lest we forget all the heroics Dinwiddie performed last seaso, he hit several game-winning shots in 2017-18, earning the nickname “WINwiddie.” Despite being the only healthy lead guard for a good chunk of the season, he found his footing in surprising fashion.

As a major part of the Nets’ slow ascent back into relevance, it’s only fair to reward him with some security. The amount of years on the contract treads the line between all-out commitment and selling high on him. Additionally, it’s easy to talk yourself into paying him a lot more than $11 million a year over three years. This signing leaves Brooklyn with the flexibility it has so shrewdly created over the past few seasons.

Grade: A-