Shams Charania: Free agent Spencer Dinwiddie is headed to the Washington Wizards on a three-year, $62 million contract via sign-and-trade, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
More on Spencer Dinwiddie Free Agency
Hearing the most likely outcome is that the Spencer Dinwiddie sign-and-trade becomes part of the Russell Westbrook trade. That would make it, at minimum, a four-team deal (Nets, Lakers, Wizards, Pacers) that includes a sign-and-trade, base-year compensation and the luxury-tax apron, and there may very well be a fifth team involved to drop off unwanted salary. Fasten your seat belts, cap guys; it's about to get crazy out there.
Kristian Winfield: Three years, $62 million for Spencer Dinwiddie from the Wizards when the dust settles, I'm told.
Nets Daily: As for Dinwiddie, they’re taking hard line with Wizards. They don’t want to take back big bucks player. But ultimately they’re not going to stand in the way of him getting paid. Crunchtime is Friday when Westbrook trade can become official. Do they get into it?
Stefan Bondy: The Knicks never made a formal offer to Spencer Dinwiddie, according to a league source.
Jake Fischer: Spencer Dinwiddie is nearing an agreement with the Washington Wizards that will pay roughly $60 million over three years, per league sources. Talks are still ongoing in their Los Angeles meeting.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Free agent guard Spencer Dinwiddie is nearing a deal with the Washington Wizards, sources tell ESPN.
Jordan Schultz: New info on a few rumors I’ve seen floating around: Neither Spencer Dinwiddie or Norman Powell to the #Mavs will happen. Patty Mills to the #Nets is not very likely, with league sources saying both the #Lakers and #Warriors are making a run at the long time #Spurs vet.
Shams Charania: Latest on the NBA Free Agency point guard market -- with Nets free agent Spencer Dinwiddie set to meet with the Wizards at the start of free agency, sources say. pic.twitter.com/En7jXoC599
Nets Daily: If as Shams says, Bradley Beal wants Spencer Dinwiddie, that’s good news for the Nets
Elsewhere likely doesn’t carry the same championship odds as he’d find in Brooklyn, but Dinwiddie would be a starter playing a significant role on most other teams. He has already received interest from teams offering three-year deals with an average annual value of $22 million, according to a source.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are among the teams who have expressed interest in Spencer Dinwiddie
There are still scenarios where Dinwiddie could sign with Washington, because the Russell Westbrook trade between the Wizards and Lakers is not official and could always expand to include multiple teams. Yet Dinwiddie now seems like the preferred point guard option in New Orleans should Lowry indeed sign with Miami. For weeks, there has been a rumored two-year, $40 million offer that league sources believe Oklahoma City is prepared to make Dinwiddie as well.
Over the last few days, one of the hottest free-agency rumors around the NBA involved Spencer Dinwiddie joining the Washington Wizards via a sign-and-trade. There were numerous reports that mentioned Dinwiddie’s interest in joining the Wizards. However, on “The Alex Kennedy Podcast,” Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report discussed why Dinwiddie to the Wizards is far from a guarantee at this point. “There’s starting to be some speculation about how legitimate that buzz has been," Fischer mentioned early in the episode.
explained why the Brooklyn Nets could throw a wrench in their plan. “It came really strong over the weekend; I know Shams Charania and Fred Katz also reported it at The Athletic, so it clearly got around the league and is something that’s been rumored and talked about,” Fischer said. “But I’m not so sure if it’s entirely happening right now. It doesn’t sound like there’s much interest from Brooklyn in this current state to take back Kyle Kuzma or Montrezl Harrell in a sign-and-trade, and that’s a necessary piece that would have to happen in order for Washington to get Spencer Dinwiddie at a number that is more than the mid-level… I just don’t think the book is shut and the chapter is closed on Spencer Dinwiddie to Washington. But I do still think there’s absolutely mutual interest.”
Sources say to keep an eye on 28-year-old free agent Spencer Dinwiddie, who missed most of last season with a torn ACL but averaged 20.6 points per game in 2019-20. The Wizards are above the salary cap but could try to negotiate a sign-and-trade with Dinwiddie’s incumbent team, the Nets. The other pieces from the Westbrook trade, Harrell and Kuzma alone, would not be enough for Brooklyn to accept a Dinwiddie deal, according to a source. Dinwiddie is expected to receive interest from several teams, including the Nets, Knicks, Heat and Raptors, sources said.
Spencer Dinwiddie is interested in playing alongside Bradley Beal and joining the Wizards in free agency, as Quinton Mayo noted. Washington would likely need to acquire Dinwiddie via a sign-and-trade to make it happen. Dinwiddie is considered one of the top free agents available in our HoopsHype rankings.
Dinwiddie is intrigued by forming a backcourt tandem with Beal, Rui Hachimura’s game, and Washington off the court, a source familiar with Dinwiddie’s thinking, told HoopsHype. With a core of Beal, Dinwiddie, and Hachimura, Dinwiddie believes the Wizards can become a playoff team, the source said. Dinwiddie also is confident he can help recruit players to Washington.
Kristian Winfield: Sean Marks on Spencer Dinwiddie’s free agency. “He deserves the right to be a free agent. I can’t tell you what his market’s gonna be. I can hypothetically take a stab at it, but the good thing for him, he’s likely in line for generational money.”
In many cases, the team’s interest level depends on different factors/scenarios on draft night or in free agency. With that in mind, DeMar DeRozan and Spencer Dinwiddie are two players on the Knicks’ radar in at least some of their free agency scenarios, per SNY sources.
New York is looking for a lead guard in the draft and free agency. Dinwiddie is rehabbing a torn ACL, so signing him comes with some risk. But he’s expressed confidence in his ability to bounce back from the injury because he suffered the same ailment in college. At least one key decision maker for New York has embraced the idea of signing Dinwiddie, per SNY sources.
Given the understandable pessimism in circulation about the Pelicans’ ability to win the Lowry Sweepstakes in competition with a number of teams closer to true contention, New Orleans has also been increasingly mentioned as a likely suitor for Brooklyn Nets point guard Spencer Dinwiddie when free agency officially starts Aug. 2.
DeRozan’s interest in New York is unclear. The Knicks have the cap space to make DeRozan an attractive offer. DeRozan reportedly has interest in signing with the Lakers. It would take a lot of roster movement for the Lakers to be able to offer DeRozan something close to what the Knicks can offer. Worth noting on Dinwiddie: Aside from the Knicks’ interest, at least one team has concrete plans to make the guard a strong offer in free agency, sources say.
New York will pursue Evan Fournier in free agency and are considering making a push for Spencer Dinwiddie, according to sources. Dinwiddie declined his player option for $12.3 million with Brooklyn Nets to become an unrestricted free agent.
The Boston Celtics acquired Fournier from the Orlando Magic in March. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent. The French guard, who helped his native country upset the U.S. in the Olympics earlier this week, is expected to ask for around $18 million per season, while Dinwiddie’s asking price is $25 million per, sources say.
If they lose Ball and miss on Lowry, the Pelicans might be on the lookout for Spencer Dinwiddie. Dinwiddie is looking for big money; in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, he tossed out a five-year, $125 million contract as what he would be looking for to re-sign with the Brooklyn Nets.
The Los Angeles Lakers are pursuing a third stellar player who provides playmaking and shot creation around LeBron James and Anthony Davis, sources said. The Lakers are expected to show interest in several free agents such as Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan and Spencer Dinwiddie, according to sources, but another scenario has gained some traction.
Guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who starred at Woodland Hills Taft High and California, declined his player option for $12.3 million with Brooklyn to become an unrestricted free agent. Dinwiddie, who missed most of last season because of an ACL injury, has interest in joining the Lakers.
During an interview with Howard Beck of Sports Illustrated, Dinwiddie revealed exactly what it will take for him to re-sign with the Nets. Given that the Nets have his Bird rights and could thus sign him to a five-year deal, as opposed to the max of four years that other teams can offer, Dinwiddie said that a five-year deal in the $125 million range would likely keep him in Brooklyn. "Now, for all the fans that think because I opted out I have to leave or something like that, no, this is very much in the Nets' hands, you feel me?" Dinwiddie said. "I think my full max is like five [years], $196 [million] or something like that. And nobody's sitting here saying I'm going to get five [years], $196 [million] -- so before anybody tries to kill me, nobody's saying that.
"But the Nets have the ability to do something that other people can't. If they come to the table like that, and they're being aggressive and are saying, 'Hey we got five [years], $125 [million] for you,' I would say there's a high likelihood that I go back to the Nets, you know what I mean? But if they don't come to the table like that, and they're like 'Oh, we're going to give you a three for 60,' well, anybody can do that." There's nothing wrong with setting the bar high if you're Dinwiddie, but it remains to be seen if the Nets will be willing to cough up that much cash over a five-year period for a player who is coming off an ACL injury.
There’s the potential Dinwiddie could be a team’s starting point guard. The Daily News learned the Mavericks made their interest in Dinwiddie known and are a candidate to sign him in free agency.
In the clip promoted by Beck, Dinwiddie essentially says the ball is in the Nets court mainly because they hold his Bird Rights and sign him to a contract that would run for five years instead of four and with higher year-to-year raises than other teams can offer. “For all the fans that think like because I opted out like I have to leave or something like that,” Dinwiddie told Beck. “No, this is very much in the Nets hands. You feel me? And I think my full max is five years/$196 million or something like that. And nobody is sitting here saying I’m going to get five years/$196 million so before anybody tries to kill me, nobody is saying that.”
Even if the Nets were to re-sign Dinwiddie outright at $18 million, their luxury-tax bill would skyrocket from $40 million to $114 million, according to the team’s former assistant GM, Bobby Marks, now with ESPN. And that’s not even taking into consideration retaining restricted free agent Bruce Brown, or the cost of using the $5.9 million tax midlevel exception.
Spencer Dinwiddie declined the player option on the final year of his contract and will hit unrestricted free agency on Aug. 6, according to a league source. The deadline to make a decision on the option, worth $12.3 million, was June 20.
Dinwiddie, however, is unlikely to return to the Nets after taking a below-market-value three-year deal worth $34 million. A source told The Daily News the combo guard wants to go home, or “wants the bag.”
“Home is the preferred destination,” the source told The Daily News. “But he wants to secure his financial future, too.”
Home for Dinwiddie is Los Angeles, where he spent the entire season rehabbing from his ACL tear at Phenom Sports Performance. If Dinwiddie were to join the Lakers or Clippers, it would have to be in a sign-and-trade. Even if Kawhi Leonard were to decline the player option on his contract and leave the Clippers in free agency, the team still would not have the cap space to sign Dinwiddie to a competitive contract.
The Mavericks are another team with interest in Dinwiddie, according to a source, and the Nets guard will be one of the more coveted players in free agency. Dinwiddie’s interest in Dallas or Miami is unclear.
Some executives around the league believe Spencer Dinwiddie will not be back with the Brooklyn Nets next year. Specifically, one executive I mentioned in the recent story said, “Dinwiddie seems like he’s leaving. He’ll have a high salary number. I don’t see him staying regardless. I don’t get the sense he wants to be there.”
I think pretty much the expectation around the league, and Sean Marks publicly talked about it during his press conference that they’re either going to try and re-sign him or do what they can to help him whether that’s getting a trade exception or getting back an asset for him. It’s pretty clear the writing on the wall appears to be that a sign-and-trade is the most likely outcome for Dinwiddie right now.
Shams Charania: Nets free agent Spencer Dinwiddie has been fully cleared for all basketball activities, his operating surgeon Dr. Riley Williams says. Dinwiddie recovered from a partial ACL tear in just over five months. He enters free agency as one of the top point guards on the market.
Adrian Wojnarowski: As expected, Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie plans to decline the $12.3M player option on his 2021-2022 contract and become an unrestricted free agent, sources tell ESPN. He has a Monday deadline. Dinwiddie missed most of the season with an ACL injury.
“I think Spencer will get high teens (annually),” one NBA executive told HoopsHype. “Dinwiddie seems like he’s leaving,” another NBA executive predicted when speaking with HoopsHype. “He’ll have a high salary number. I don’t see him staying regardless. I don’t get the sense he wants to be there.”
“Coming off that injury, I’d be concerned about giving him in the neighborhood of $80 million over four years,” an NBA executive told HoopsHype. “Dinwiddie is worth $14-17 million depending on his health,” another executive said.
To the executive’s point, some around the league believe Dinwiddie wants to be a starting point guard with a larger role as he had during the 2019-20 season when he averaged a career-high 20.6 points and 6.8 assists per game. Even if Dinwiddie wanted to return to the Nets as Irving’s backcourt mate, it would be tough for the Nets to keep him with luxury tax implications in mind.
And the Nets could engage in sign-and-trade talks using Spencer Dinwiddie. Reportedly, the Nets were engaged in talks at the deadline with the Warriors that would have sent the point guard to Golden State for Kelly Oubre and to Los Angeles and the Lakers for Kyle Kuzma. Per Bobby Marks in an ESPN+ analysis Sunday morning... A sign-and-trade deal with a team that doesn’t have significant cap space is an option, but that would require Brooklyn to take back salary in the trade, adding to an already high luxury tax bill. Brooklyn has a projected $53.4 million tax bill and would see that number double if the Nets took back $12 million in salary.
Although he played in only three games, Dinwiddie hasn't suffered any setbacks in his rehab process and is one of the top point guards available in free agency this offseason. Before suffering the injury in late December, he was coming off a 2019-20 where he averaged a career high 20.6 points and 6.8 assists. According to ProFitX, he outplayed his $9.9 million contract in that season by $17 million. Dinwiddie's options could be tied to the futures of Kyle Lowry and Dennis Schroder. If the two players sign with Miami and Chicago for example, Dinwiddie could be staring at the Knicks as the only team that has both cap space and a need at point guard.
If Dinwiddie wants to join an over-the-cap team while earning market value, that would require the Nets to cooperate in a sign-and-trade. This could allow Brooklyn to generate a trade exception and potentially get a veteran, young player, or first-round pick. After having such a great experience together these past five seasons, it would be a nice gesture to participate in good business that allows both sides to achieve their goals.
The Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic all showed interest in Dinwiddie before the trade deadline, sources said. The sign-and-trade possibility will open up a few more doors beyond the teams that can easily clear cap room, too. "I'm a big Dinwiddie fan," said the personnel veteran. "He can be a really good third guard off the bench. And someone's gonna get overpaid…"
The 27-year-old Dinwiddie, who went down with a partially torn ACL in December, is unlikely to agree to an extension, league sources told HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto. He will be among the top point guards available in free agency and could command a similar or better average annual value than the four-year, $85 million contracts signed by Toronto’s Fred VanVleet and Indiana’s Malcolm Brogdon.
He has a $12.3 million player option for next season. Before his injury, he was one of the top players available in our HoopsHype free-agent rankings. Now, executives are split on whether he’ll exercise his player option or become an unrestricted free agent. “I think he’ll opt in now unless it’s really just a partial tear and not a standard ACL recovery,” a fourth Eastern Conferenceexecutive told HoopsHype. “The playoffs go until July. Can he come back in time for June or July? That gives him five or six months, literally. So if it’s that serious where he’s missing five or six months, tough to see him opting out for free agency, but if he can come back and play, then who knows.”
One rival general managertold HoopsHype he expects Dinwiddie to opt out of his contract and hit the market despite his injury. That same sentiment was expressed by a former Western Conferenceexecutive as well. “I don’t think it hurts him overall,” the former Western Conferenceexecutive told HoopsHype. “There are a lot of teams with cap space next summer. If Brooklyn does well without him, they might not want him back if he opts out. The injury probably increases the likelihood he opts in slightly, but I doubt he exercises his player option.”
Raul Barrigon: Michael Scotto: Spencer Dinwiddie is going to opt out, survey the market and be a potential starting point guard. I’d be shocked if he didn't. pic.twitter.com/NHeV0qrPSZ
Scotto: “You’ve got Dinwiddie who’s got a guaranteed deal next year, and then he’s got a $12.3 million player option the year after that. He’s opting out of that, barring any injury. He’s going to opt out of that to try and get more money, survey the market and be a potential starting point guard. I’d be shocked if he didn’t.”
NBA Central: Spencer Dinwiddie’s deactivates his GoFundMe after raising $1,150 pic.twitter.com/Iyl3f2W9sB
Spencer Dinwiddie’s attempt at crowdfunding his free agency hasn’t taken off yet. As of Sunday afternoon, the business-driven Dinwiddie had raised less than $1,000 on his GoFundMe page, well short of the pace necessary to finish with his stated goal of $24,632,630. He opened the page Friday and accumulating $1,000 every two days would require 136 years of fundraising to reach the target.
The second highest donation, as of Sunday afternoon, was $69 from a Nets fan who added the message, “Knicks are Poopiepoopbuttbuttsoup.” So maybe this is not being taken so seriously. Or a kindergartner has disposable income. Only an $88 donation from Charles Nocera was higher than the “Poopiepoopbuttbuttsoup” donor.
If he somehow hits the goal, Dinwiddie says he will allow the fans to determine his next destination and he’ll sign a one-year deal with that team. He’s expected to hit free agency in 2021. If his fundraising falls short, Dinwiddie said he’ll donate all the money to charity. He announced the project with the understanding he probably won’t reach the goal.
Shams Charania: Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie ( @SDinwiddie_25 ) says he will sign a one-year deal with the NBA team fans decide if they reach Bitcoin target of roughly $24,632,630 on a GoFundMe. Dinwiddie’s statement:
What if Dinwiddie decides to opt into the final year of his deal? Dinwiddie is scheduled to earn $12.3 million in 2021-22 if he opts in -- much less than the $20 million in the above scenario -- so the rate of return would be considerably lower, approximately 7.4% annually, or $150,000 plus an additional $35,825.
On Saturday Dinwiddie became eligible for a four-year contract extension worth a maximum of $47.5 million. But despite being the poster child for the Nets’ much-hyped player development (he was a finalist for last season’s NBA Most Improved Player Award), Dinwiddie still does not have an extension. “No news. Nothing to report,” Dinwiddie’s agent, Raymond Brothers, said. “Dec. 8, it came, it’s gone. I don’t have an extension,” said Dinwiddie, 25. “Just let Raymond and [Nets general manager] Sean [Marks] talk about it. I already said what I needed to say.”
One NBA source proclaimed surprise the Nets didn’t offer Dinwiddie an extension, and at least three others suggested he would be worth more in the unrestricted free-agent market next summer, when a number of teams should be flush with cash. So, by all accounts, he is offering the Nets a hometown discount.
And, perhaps most importantly, Dinwiddie’s desire to stay should outweigh the enticing prospect of unknown possibilities. It’s good to put your money on the side of familiarity when you can, especially when everything seems tailored to what your favor. “I would love to have an extension,” Dinwiddie said himself last week. “I would love to be here for a long time. If I don’t get an extension, then I’ll be looking forward to unrestricted free agency.”
“What usually matters in instances like these is ‘What’s the number? What’s the number on the extension that gets it done,’” Woj told Hall and Calamari. “The Nets are limited, limited in he kind of raise he can get off his current contract. It’s all negotiation. Starting next week, they can negotiate, he can sign an extension. But he can do it all the way through the summer. “I think the Nets would very much like to keep him and keep him long term but again, it’s negotiation. It will be at a number --I don’t know what the number is for Brooklyn -- but I’m sure they have in their minds a sense of what they’re willing to do and then how does that measure up to what the other options are, what it does to their cap space, what they want to do with D’Angelo Russell.”
Woj said there certainly will be a market for the 25-year-old if he reaches free agency this summer. “And listen, there certainly are teams this summer that would like a veteran point guard. Phoenix has been trying to trade for one and Orlando’s another who’s veen trying to figure out that position for them long term. Dinwiddie is not a star but he’s showed himself to be a very competent, professional, serious-minded leader. That’s not easy to find.”
Michael Scotto: Spencer Dinwiddie (@SDinwiddie_25) is eligible to sign an extension with the Brooklyn Nets on December 8, which is also the birthday of his grandmother and younger brother and his jersey number. He addressed his contract situation today. Below is his full quote in its entirety. Spencer Dinwiddie on the possibility of an extension of December 8th: "Here's the thing, guys, because I've spoken about this like a lot over the summer and now, and I'm sure I'll have another interview type situation on the day, so I'm hoping this is probably my second to last one (smiles), but this will be my official statement, and I'll repeat this on December 8, 'I would love to have an extension. I would love to be here for a long time. If I don't get an extension, then I'll be looking forward to unrestricted free agency and going through the season and trying to help the Nets win games as much as possible.'
Dinwiddie: "Simultaneously, I know you guys will say that it's an audition for 29 other teams — 28 depending upon how you look at Detroit, maybe 27 depending upon how you look at Chicago (smiles). So, it is what it is. Either I'm going to sign an extension or I'm going to become an unrestricted free agent. It's pretty much as simple as that. The ball is very much in Sean Marks' and the Nets' court. Everybody knows what my extension number is four (years) for $47.5 million. It is well documented. You can't go above. It's not like I'm really looking to go below (smiles and laughs)."
Dinwiddie: "So, hey, it is what it is. You guys will know what it is. I'll find out when you guys find out. We'll either see something on the ESPN ticker that says, 'Spencer Dinwiddie offered $47.5 million from the Brooklyn Nets.' Then you guys will also know exactly how much money my bank account has at that moment in time too. This is all very public information. It's either that or I'm going to be an unrestricted free agent in which case I know you guys will be writing about all summer about whether my low cap hold will apply to Brooklyn or something like that, and in that case stay tuned, Bird Rights, all that good stuff." — Twitter: @MikeAScotto
He prefers staying in Brooklyn to free agency. But even though the deal looks like a bargain for the Nets, it’s certainly no lock they make it. “I’d love to have an extension. I’d love to be here for a long time. If I don’t get an extension, I’ll be looking forward to unrestricted free agency and going through the season trying to help the Nets win games as much as possible,” Dinwiddie said. “Either I’m going to sign an extension or I’m going to be an unrestricted free agent, simple as that. The ball is very much in [general manager] Sean Marks and the Nets’ court. “Everybody knows what my extension number is: Four for $47 ¹/₂ million. … Can’t go above. It’s not like I’m really looking to go below. It is what it is. I’ll find out when you guys find out. We’ll either see something on the ESPN ticker that says ‘Spencer Dinwiddie offered $47 ¹/₂ million from the Brooklyn Nets,’ and then you guys will know how much money my bank account has at that moment in time.”
With guard-needy teams like the Suns and Magic out there, sources told The Post Dinwiddie could command more in free agency. So why wouldn’t the Nets jump to sign him? Dinwiddie currently makes $1.656 million and an extension would put the Nets over the luxury-tax threshold.
On Dec. 8, Dinwiddie is eligible to sign an extension with the Nets. The most lucrative deal Brooklyn can offer is a four-year, $48 million contract, an extension that would have him bypassing unrestricted free agency. “Oh, I mean, I’d love to have one,” Dinwiddie said. “I’d love to be here. This organization has shown me hospitality and given me an opportunity like I haven’t had in the NBA before, so I’m definitely indebted to them, and if they decide to sign me, I’d be one of the happiest players in the league.”
Despite overcoming a career-threatening ACL injury in college, the risk of injury this season isn’t weighing on Dinwiddie’s mind regarding a possible extension and long-term payday. “No, not really,” Dinwiddie said. “If I didn’t want to be here, it would just be a flat out ‘no,’ and I’d tell everybody, ‘Hey, I want to go into unrestricted free agency, and that’s just what it is.’ It really, as it is now, the ball is in their court. I guess I’m always a bridesmaid so far in the NBA. I’m ready to be a bride, I guess.”
Dinwiddie will become eligible for a contract extension Dec. 8, three years after he signed his current deal. But unlike Russell – who could theoretically sign an extension for a max salary – Dinwiddie’s extension is capped at about $47 million over four years. Though it’s possible he could draw more in unrestricted free agency next summer, Dinwiddie – who has only once and only barely exceeded a minimum salary in his career – sounds open to locking in sooner. Not that he expects an offer. “If Sean Marks calls to give me a contract extension, I’ll take it,” Dinwiddie said. “But until he does, I’m looking forward to being a free agent.”
Dinwiddie, on the other hand, said he’s more focused on the court than motivated by his contract situation. “That’s all I can really afford to look at,” Dinwiddie said. “You look at my role – second-round pick, out the league, now back in the league, obviously good season, don’t matter, back on the bench, all that other stuff. So, all I’ve got to do is continue try to help our team win games.”
Complicating matters is the fact that Dinwiddie can’t officially sign that extension until early December, giving the Nets almost two months to assess his fit with Russell and their long-term plans surrounding that pairing. Should Russell show them significant progress toward his ultimate potential, Dinwiddie might find himself closer to the trade block than a building block of the next great Nets team.
The question that looms in the future is how much respect the organization will show next season when he goes from being a bargain at a non-guaranteed $1.65 million to being eligible for an extension that might start at $8 million to $9 million per year. “Man, I would love to be here,” Dinwiddie said. “But I don’t have the opportunity to look ahead. That’s not the way my career has gone. All I can do is keep my head down and keep going. That’s all I can do. But I’d love to be here. They gave me my chance, and I’m forever indebted to Brooklyn.”
After breaking down about Dinwiddie’s performance in the game, Coach Nick asked him about his time with the Nets. Dinwiddie, whose contract runs another two years at the vets minimum, talked about how much he wants to stay in Brooklyn ... and why. “Right now, I have two team options left on my deal, so it looks like I'll be here. Who knows, you never know in this business how anything can happen or how it will all shake out but I've loved my time here and hopefully look forward to being here for a long time. The organization is great. The staff is great and hopefully we can turn this thing around and just make the playoffs next year. That'd be nice.”
With only a team-option for next season, Dinwiddie hopes his work-ethic in practice and play on the court in recent weeks is enough for the Nets to keep him around next season. “I hope I put my best foot forward and proved I belong with the Nets long-term,” Dinwiddie said. “I would love to continue to be here, but business is business. It’s not going to be my decision, it’s going to be their decision. I hope they allow me to stay.”
Michael Gallagher: The Nets announced they have signed Spencer Dinwiddie.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Nets signed D-League guard Spencer Dinwiddie to a partially guaranteed three-year deal, league sources tell @The Vertical.
Jeff Goodman: The Chicago Bulls have released Spencer Dinwiddie, source told ESPN.
Shams Charania: Chicago has waived guard Spencer Dinwiddie, league sources tell The Vertical.
