The Dallas Mavericks are reuniting with veteran guard Spencer Dinwiddie for the upcoming season, signing him to a one-year contract, according to The Athletic. Dinwiddie, who played with the Nets and Lakers last season, previously contributed to the Mavericks’ run to the Western Conference Finals in 2022.
The Mavericks had shown interest in Dinwiddie, Dennis Smith Jr., and Talen Horton-Tucker for their final roster spot, with Dinwiddie being the top choice, as reported by Marc Stein. Dinwiddie was traded from Dallas to the Brooklyn Nets as part of the Kyrie Irving deal in 2023, then moved from Brooklyn to Toronto before being bought out. Although he nearly rejoined the Mavericks at the trade deadline, he opted for the Lakers instead. Now, he is set to return to the team where he previously excelled.
Dinwiddie provides the Mavericks with an additional guard capable of creating plays off the bench, a need they had during the NBA Finals against the Celtics. However, his role is uncertain due to the rise of young guard Jaden Hardy.
Exum and Grimes provide the Mavericks with significantly better defensive capabilities than Dinwiddie, and Hardy has demonstrated that he deserves additional playing time. While it might be challenging to find minutes for Dinwiddie next season, having him as a reserve option is still beneficial for a Dallas team aiming to return to the Finals.
In the 2021-22 season, following his trade from the Wizards to the Mavericks, Dinwiddie averaged 15.8 points on 49.8% shooting from the field as a reserve. During the playoffs, he was particularly impactful, averaging 14.2 points and shooting 41.7% from beyond the arc. Given his past success with the team, Dinwiddie is expected to complement Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving well in the backcourt.
