Brooklyn Nets: Spencer Dinwiddie deserves to be a starter, even if it isn’t in Brooklyn
Spencer Dinwiddie is playing All-Star Caliber basketball and carrying the Brooklyn Nets. He deserves to be a starter, even if it isn’t in Brooklyn
When teams use second round picks, the hopes are that those players can become serviceable rotation pieces. Sometimes they get lucky and find starters, rarely do clubs find NBA-All Stars. Spencer Dinwiddie is looking to become just the 10th second round pick since 2010 to suit up in the NBA All-Star game.
The others to earn that honor were Manu Ginobili, Marc Gasol, Paul Millsap, Kyle Korver, Isaiah Thomas, DeAndre Jordan, Draymond Green, Nikola Jokic and Khris Middleton (relax Pacer fans, Malcolm Brogdon deserves the nod this year as well).
Dinwiddie’s career got off to a slow start as many second round picks do. He came into the NBA after tearing his ACL during his junior season at Colorado. After playing only 46 games over two years in Detroit, Dinwiddie was shipped to the Bulls and later cut (it is not like either team is desperate for a point guard).
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In fairness to both teams, he showed little promise in his short stints on the floor. Neither team could expect him to turn into an All-Star caliber player, but that is what he has become.
According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, Dinwiddie was at the forefront recruiting Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant to the Brooklyn Nets. Little did the Nets know at the time Dinwiddie would be more critical to Brooklyn’s success this season than Irving.
With Durant sidelined for what everyone believes to be the entire season, it was supposed to be the Kyrie show. However, Irving has been sidelined for all but 11 games.
You could think of worse-case scenarios than the Nets bottoming out this season, adding a high first-round pick into the fold (the pick goes to the Atlanta Hawks if the Nets sneak into the playoffs) and welcoming their superstars into their lineup for the 2020-21 season. Let’s be honest, the Nets probably would fast-forward this season if they could.
Enter Dinwiddie into the starting lineup. All he has done since becoming a regular starter is average 26 points and 7.2 assists per game. Dinwiddie’s usage rate ranks ninth in the league for players that have played in at least 20 games this season. While Brooklyn ranks 22nd in offensive rating, it should come as a surprise they are not lower. According to basketball-reference.com when Dinwiddie sits, the Nets Offensive rating is 99.1 which would be the worst offense in the league over a whole season.
If you look at Dinwiddie’s shooting splits; 43/30/80, they don’t jump off the page. His high usage rate is the reason they look average. Last year he averaged over two catch-and-shoot 3’s per game, he shot a shade under 37 percent on those attempts, according to NBA.com. This year his catch-and-shoot numbers are down across the board. When Dinwiddie can spot up and get consistent kick-outs from Irving and Durant, those numbers should be closer to last season’s averages rather than this season.
Only 52 of Dinwiddie’s 242 made shots have been off of another player’s assist. He has made a living this year breaking down defenses and getting into the paint. He ranks second in drives per game, third in average points and fourth in free throws per game attempted off drives, based off NBA.com. Breaking down a defense and getting into the paint, often times is the difference between a rotational guard and an All-Star caliber one.
The Nets signed Dinwiddie to a three-year, $34 million extension in December 2018. The contract seemed fair at the time because there was only about a season and a half worth of backup quality basketball. Last year he showed signs of being an annual sixth man of the year contender.
Not only has Dinwiddie proven he can thrive in a starting role, the contract he signed might now be highway robbery. The average NBA salary comes in at just over $7.6 million according to basketball-reference.com. The average salary during the life of his deal is $11.45 million. This season he is the 127th highest paid played, according to ESPN.com. Dinwiddie might just have the most attractive contract in the league.
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It would be disappointing if he were regulated to a backup role next season, when he has proven his talent as a high quality lead guard. The Nets could get a haul for the potential All-Star, who would enter next season at a prime age of 27.