Mavericks vindicated for letting fan-favorite walk as replacement dominates

The Dallas Mavericks let Spencer Dinwiddie walk over the offseason, and Brandon Williams has replaced him valiantly.

Dallas signed Dinwiddie last offseason with the hope that he could repeat the production he put forth during his first stint with the team from 2022 until 2023. The Mavericks acquired Dinwiddie as part of the Kristaps Porzingis trade in 2022, and he was a key reason that they made a run all the way to the Western Conference Finals later that season.

He became a fan-favorite during this time due to his shot-making (especially in the clutch) and secondary playmaking, but Dallas got rid of him as part of the Kyrie Irving trade in 2023. He then returned a little over a season later, but it didn't go according to plan.

Brandon Williams is making up for Spencer Dinwiddie's absence

Dinwiddie averaged 11.0 points and 4.4 assists per game while shooting 41.6 percent from the field and 33.4 percent from beyond the arc during the 2024-25 season in Dallas, and Mavericks fans were fed up with him by the end of it. His inconsistency and poor shot selection heightened, and Dallas decided not to bring him back.

He ended up signing with the Charlotte Hornets, but didn't make the roster, so he headed overseas. Dinwiddie signed with FC Bayern Munich, and while he has played well so far, Williams is proving that he was always ready to replace him if given the chance.

Williams is averaging 11.1 points, 3.9 assists, and a career-high 1.2 steals per game this season, and he has been excellent off the Mavs' bench all year long. Dallas converted Williams' two-way deal to a standard contract at the end of last season, and not re-signing Dinwiddie has allowed him to take on an even bigger role than he had before.

He has become the clear backup point guard behind Ryan Nembhard, even playing more than D'Angelo Russell, and Jason Kidd sometimes plays him more than Nembhard when he has the hot hand. Williams' speed, craftiness around the bucket, and mid-range jump shot have helped him become a consistent spark plug that Dallas desperately needed, and he looks like someone who could have a real role for years to come if he continues to develop.

He is one of the few players on the team who consistently generates paint touches, and this is extremely important for point guards in Kidd's system. Williams also excels at pushing the pace, which is something that Kidd preaches year in and year out, and his growth over his two years as a two-way player in Dallas to now is impossible to ignore.

Kyrie Irving has been a key reason Williams has been able to develop so rapidly, as he has taken on a mentor role over the past few years. The similarities between their games are evident, and while the Mavericks' backcourt has had its fair share of struggles since Luka Doncic was traded, Williams' performance has been one of the clear silver linings from this season.

He wouldn't have been able to grow as much as he has if the Mavs signed Spencer Dinwiddie to another deal, and they were clearly proven right by moving on and focusing on Brandon Williams.