Spencer Dinwiddie is having a career year with the Nets in 2019-20, but there are whispers around the league that his time in Brooklyn could be running out.
Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times reported on Saturday that Dinwiddie’s name has “intrigued” scouts and executives from around the league with the NBA’s trade deadline approaching on Feb. 6.
The 26-year-old guard is averaging 21.8 points per game at the halfway point of the season — five points higher than his previous career-high set last year.
His efforts helped keep the Nets afloat when star point guard Kyrie Irving was sidelined 26 games with a shoulder issue, averaging 24.8 points per game during that span. The Nets went 13-13.
Upon Irving’s return, the Nets have looked like anything but the playoff team they were expected to be this season. They’ve lost three of their four games — all by double-digits — with Irving in the lineup.
Dinwiddie’s production has drastically dropped as a byproduct, averaging 15.3 points per game over his last four.
It’s a far cry from what Irving talked about last week when it came to co-existing with Dinwiddie.
“Something that doesn’t get mentioned is when you’re a great basketball player and have a great basketball mind, you can play with anyone out there on the floor, you’re able to adjust,” Irving said. “I wasn’t trying to come in and trying to be overly aggressive, just let Spence get us in our offense… Just continue to develop great habits, great cultural habits where I can play off him and he can play off me.”
But Dinwiddie’s offensive aggression has seen a sizable decline as his attempted field-goal attempts per game has dropped from 19.5 while Irving was out to just 13 over the last four.
On a three-year, $34.4 million deal, Dinwiddie has a team-friendly contract that any contender looking for backcourt help. He’s shown an ability to thrive as a primary scoring option rather than the current off-ball role he’s playing next to Irving.
The Nets could use him to bring on players that would fit better with Irving and Kevin Durant when he returns from his Achilles recovery next year.
