Mavericks' cut-throat offseason move just got the justification it needed

The Dallas Mavericks let Spencer Dinwiddie walk earlier this summer, as they could've tried to bring him back after he finished his one-year deal that he signed with Dallas last offseason, and he ended up signing with the Charlotte Hornets. Some Mavericks fans wanted the team to bring him back, as he still had some good moments that showed that he still had some of the Dinwiddie from the 2022 playoff run inside of him, but their decision not to bring him back ultimately got justified today after the Hornets waived him.

Dinwiddie getting waived by Charlotte is extremely shocking, as he just came off a season in which he. averaged 11 points and 4.4 assists per game, and Nico Harrison may have made the right call by not extending his second stint in Dallas by another year. The Mavs not bringing back Dinwiddie was a move that some fans felt was risky or harsh at the time, as he seemingly did everything they asked him to do despite some inconsistency, but it has aged well thus far.

Dinwiddie will always be beloved in Dallas for the major contributions that he made after being traded to the team at the 2022 trade deadline for Kristaps Porzingis and being a key reason that they advanced all the way to the Western Conference Finals that year, but his best days may be behind him.

Spencer Dinwiddie's best days may be long behind him

Especially after seeing him get waived by Charlotte today.

It seemed like Charlotte was going to be a great spot for him, as they focused on adding players who bring leadership this summer, and he could've stepped into that role easily. Dinwiddie is a good leader and great basketball mind, and a likely lottery-bound team like the Hornets giving up on him this quickly shows that he doesn't have the same value that he once did.

The Hornets had to waive one player on a standard deal to get down to the limit of 15 players on standard contracts ahead of the regular season beginning next week, and they decided to get rid of Dinwiddie despite everything that he has brought to the floor over the years.

Even though his season in Dallas last year wasn't as productive as Mavericks fans would've liked, he was one of the few players who stayed healthy for the entire season and gave them stability at the guard spot after Kyrie Irving went down at the end of the year. Dinwiddie played in 79 games after playing 76 games in the season prior, showing that he can stay healthy and be a reliable option off the bench for a playoff team, and he could end up signing with another team that may be desperate for guard depth.

Dinwiddie would've likely been a better option than Dante Exum to bring back this summer, as Exum missed most of training camp and all of the preseason with knee soreness that could keep him out for extended time, but in the grand scheme of things, Dinwiddie's career could just be dying down quicker than expected.

The Mavs emphasized continuity this summer, as 13 of their 15 players from last year's roster returned, with Dinwiddie being one of the two players who didn't return. Dinwiddie not being re-signed by the Mavs just to sign and get cut by one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference is a major blow for a player who played 27 minutes per game for a play-in team last year, and Dallas may have been right here.