Spencer Dinwiddie already showing he fills gaping hole on Mavericks
By Noah Weber
One move that some Dallas Mavericks fans have been unsure of this summer is the team's decision to sign Spencer Dinwiddie to a one-year deal.
While Dinwiddie was a fan favorite in Dallas during his first stint with the team, fans soured on him in the middle of last season when he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers over the Mavs. He also made some questionable comments regarding his decision to sign with the Lakers instead of Dallas, and although he has cleared up these comments since, some fans are still mad about it.
Regardless of what the select group of fans that still hold a grudge against Dinwiddie for last season think, he is already showing that he will fill a gaping hole that the Mavs desperately needed to fill.
Dinwiddie is going to be the perfect guard off bench for Mavericks
During the 2024 NBA Playoffs, Dallas lacked a ball handler to come off the bench when Luka Doncic and or Kyrie Irving needed a breather. Jaden Hardy had some flashes that he could fill in this role, but no one consistently showed that they are a trustworthy option to handle the ball and play in high-leverage situations.
This is exactly what Dinwiddie can do, and he is already showing that this summer. Last week, Dinwiddie played at the The Guard Whisperer runs with new teammate Klay Thompson, and he showed exactly why the Mavs signed him.
Dinwiddie was getting to the rim, knocking down shots from downtown and the mid-range, finding open teammates, and scoring at will. He was also taking advantage of smaller defenders and scoring with his back to the basket some, and his size at the point guard position definitely goes overlooked. Standing at 6-foot-5, Dinwiddie is bigger than most point guards and makes it harder for teams to match up against him.
While Dinwiddie's shooting and slashing looked excellent in the video of the runs, the most important part of the video that will likely go overlooked is the comfort he plays with when the ball is in his hands.
He has a steady hand when he's handling the ball, and his ability to play on and off the ball makes him the perfect fit for the rotation. He can share the floor with Irving and Doncic or lead a unit by himself, and his contributions off the bench will end up being pivotal for the Mavericks.
Dinwiddie showed exactly why the Mavs signed him at these runs, and his diverse playstyle will benefit the team tremendously. His defense also improved significantly when he was with the Lakers, and this signing could end up turning into one of Dallas' most underrated moves of the summer.