Spencer Dinwiddie finds himself picking up the slack for the Brooklyn Nets with Kyrie Irving out for the 2019-20 NBA season. Then again, he has been a vital player for head coach Kenny Atkinson for the team, which has managed to do well without its top two stars. Hence, it comes to no surprise why there are several teams interested in the 26-year-old guard.
The Orlando Magic and the Detroit Pistons reportedly had an interest in the 6-foot-6 guard before the NBA trade deadline but nothing got done, SNY reported. Exploring deals for Dinwiddie is understandable. He is averaging 20.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists in 57 games per Basketball-Reference.com, pretty impressive numbers that any other NBA team would love to have.
Beyond that, he holds a pretty decent contract with the Nets. He will make $10 million this season and will be owed $34 million in the final two years of his current deal. Dinwiddie becomes a free agent in 2022, but NBA teams in need of a reliable guard would best get Dinwiddie while he is at his peak. Also, a move out of Brooklyn could be beneficial for the 38th overall pick.
With Irving in the roster, Dinwiddie is likely to get displaced at some point. At present, he is performing well, playing roughly 34 minutes per contest. But once Irving and Kevin Durant are back in harness, his playing time is likely to diminish. Also worth factoring in is that the Nets could go after another star guard to bring into the mix starting this summer.
The Magic could use someone like Dinwiddie right now. They are at the 8th spot of the Eastern Conference and are hoping that no team below them gets going to boot them out of the playoff picture. Also, adding the veteran guard could help them get higher. With 24 games left, the best they could go is 7th place, which - something that hardly improves their chances in the postseason.
The fact is the Orlando and Brooklyn are likely to face the Eastern Conference powerhouses - Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors. Unless they pull off some sort of miracle, a first-round exit is seen.
As far as the Pistons interest in Dinwiddie, it could make sense as well. With Reggie Jackson now out, he could be the new star guard in the mix. Derrick Rose is being groomed to be the next star for Detroit, but most know that his ability to stay healthy remains a concern. Expect interest in Dinwiddie to ramp up anew this summer.
