Dallas Mavericks trade re-grade: Kristaps Porzingis for Spencer Dinwiddie

What happened after Dallas Mavericks traded Kristaps Porzingis for Spencer Dinwiddie?

Porzingis had missed six straight games before the deadline, and the Mavs desperately needed another ball-handler and playmaker on their roster. Dallas just could not trust the Unicorn to stay healthy. After winning four straight without him, the Mavericks pulled the trigger on the trade.

It did not slow them down one bit as the Mavericks won 19 of their final 26 regular-season games after the deal, which resulted in the second-best winning percentage in the NBA. Dinwiddie finally looked healthy after tearing his ACL at the start of the 2020-2021 season, and he provided Dallas with another scorer and playmaker.

Dinwiddie and Bertans both played key roles in the Dallas Mavericks reaching the Western Conference Finals. The 6’5 guards scored 20-plus points five times in the postseason, including having 30 in the decisive Game 7 win over the Suns in Phoenix. Bertans played in all 18 playoff games and offered Dallas another floor spacer off the bench.

The Wizards were 7-10 when Porzingis played, but he missed 11 games down the stretch. The Unicorn averaged 22.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game in Washington on outstanding efficiency, but keeping him healthy will be Washington’s biggest challenge.

The Dallas Mavericks made the right move. Porzingis did not fit the team’s defensive scheme, and his need for post-ups clogged the lane when Luka Doncic and the Mavs attacked. It was just not right the fit, and that is why Dallas did not miss a beat after the trade.