While the excitement surrounding the NBA’s 2021 free agency class has quieted over the past several months, one of the most highly-coveted targets remains Spencer Dinwiddie.
It is confirmed that the 28-year-old will be turning down his $12.3 million player option for next season and instead test the free-agent waters after an unfortunate year with the Brooklyn Nets. The guard played in just three regular-season games in 2020-21 before suffering a partially torn ACL injury, ending his season entirely as the Nets would eventually go onto the second round of th NBA playoffs and lose to the Milwaukee Bucks in seven games.
With three games under his belt this season, Dinwiddie’s value is certainly clouded. Teams are rightfully unsure of what his worth might be on the open market, complicated by his ACL injury and looming questions regarding whether or not he can get back to playing like his old self by next season.
In 2019-20, Dinwiddie was impressive by averaging 20.6 points on .415/.308/.778 shooting splits, 3.5 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game.
Hopeful that they could potentially get production like that from Dinwiddie following the extra time off from surgery, several teams with spending money might be willing to take a gamble on him. The Athletic’s Shams Charania recently reported that the guard had been cleared to return to all basketball activities, which will interest teams further. Dinwiddie stands as one of the best upcoming free agents at the position for teams desperately needing a boost in the backcourt.
Could the Brooklyn Nets keep Spencer Dinwiddie in 2021 NBA Free Agency?
General manager Sean Marks did not exactly sound too committable when discussing the guard’s upcoming free agency during a recent press conference. Following Brooklyn’s heartbreaking postseason loss to Milwaukee, Marks spoke about the situation and what the future may hold for the 28-year-old guard. Transcribed by Kristian Winfield of The Daily News:
"“We’ll deal with Spencer when the time comes,” Nets GM Sean Marks said in his end-of-the-season press conference. “And, obviously Spencer has put himself in a position to secure his future long-term. We’d obviously love to play a role in that, whether that’s here or whether we can help him. But you know, we’ll focus on that at a later date.”"
Dinwiddie will be looking for a nice raise after declining his option, and the Nets could look to negotiate a deal. Yet, there are certainly some questions bound to arise, the most significant of them all – aside from the dollar amount – would be his role. Dinwiddie’s injury prevented him from ever seeing the court with both Kyrie Irving and James Harden on the roster, and there could be concerns about where he fits into that mix when everyone is healthy.
Would Dinwiddie be willing to accept a bench role on the Nets if he were to be compensated for it? Who knows, but probably not. He would be competing for a championship by staying, but a more prominent role might also factor into his decision. Yet, the thought of sticking around in Brooklyn and playing next to Irving, Harden, and Kevin Durant to compete for a title has to sound compelling to some degree. Staying put would be a solid option for the guard, but it remains a stretch right now that it will ultimately happen.
It seems reasonable to believe that Dinwiddie could genuinely leave the Nets this offseason, and here are four opposing teams that should make a run at him if he does take his talents elsewhere.