Spencer Dinwiddie on how the unique Mavericks culture unlocked his game

The Dallas Mavericks traded Kristaps Porzingis and a second-round pick for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans just before last season’s deadline. It was a shocking deal that few saw coming. Mavs general manager and president of basketball operations Nico Harrison decided KP was not the second star Dallas needed, so he bought low on a ball-handler and a sharpshooter.

Dinwiddie was coming off an ACL injury when he signed with the Wizards in the summer of 2021, and the 29-year-old guard struggled during his time in Washington. He averaged just 12.6 points on 37.6 percent shooting from the field and 31.0 percent from 3-point range. Dinwiddie was still knocking the rust off, and he struggled to fit into the new system.

After arriving in Dallas, the 6’5 wing took off. He averaged 15.8 points on 49.8 percent shooting from the field before helping the Mavericks reach the conference finals. How did he fit in so quickly in Dallas? Dinwiddie credits the team’s unique culture for making that possible.

Spencer Dinwiddie on how the unique Mavericks culture unlocked his game

Dinwiddie joined teammate Theo Pinson on the Run Your Race podcast that drops on Oct. 4. To preview the episode, a video was released of Dinwiddie talking about how the Mavs were different than any other team he played on.

"Having two friends here already, coming to the locker room, everybody accepted me. Being like, 'yo, you heard what J-Kidd said’. Doe (Dorian Finney-Smith) came up to me, it was like the third game I played because I was still trying to like pass to fit in and I think I had like eight points my first two games. He was like, “yo bro, we couldn’t guard you in Brooklyn. You heard what the coach said. If Luka and JB ain’t got the ball, go get it.’ And it was like damn!"

Dinwiddie continued by discussing how the players and coaching staff embracing him and buying into their roles made it different than his other stops in the NBA. The 6’5 guard was worried about messing up the Mavericks' success, but the team empowered him to be aggressive and go get buckets.

Dorian Finney-Smith played a key role in making Dinwiddie feel comfortable and unlocking his best play. Fans can hear Dinwiddie discuss it all in the clip below.

The Dallas Mavericks need even more from Spencer Dinwiddie this season after Jalen Brunson departed in free agency. The 6’5 guard will start in the backcourt next to Luka, and the team needs him to be a key ball-handler and playmaker. Expect Dinwiddie to answer the challenge and embrace his new role as the Mavs look to build on last season’s conference finals run. Do not miss it.