How the return of Spencer Dinwiddie is the cherry on top of a great off season
Perhaps the 2024 Finals loss felt like an anti-climax for the Dallas Mavericks. After an all-round team effort beat the Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma CityThunder, the Luka Doncic/Kyrie Irving combination was simply a delight to watch against a talented, but awkwardly constructed, Minnesota Timberwolves. The 20-point first quarter from Luka exuded ‘stone cold killer’ energy. But the Mavericks never figured out the Boston Celtics. Consider that the freshly departed (and sometimes infuriating) Josh Green was the most outstanding player for Dallas in their losing Game 5 against the Celtics. That reality suggests that this was a team that was truly out of gas and ideas.
The good news is that should not be a problem in the 2024-25 season. General Manager Nico Harrison has not rested on his laurels. Tim Hardaway Jr. leaving is truly addition by subtraction. Getting Quentin Grimes as part of that deal deserves a generous tip of the hat to the front office. I will confess to being initially crestfallen when the news broke that Derrick Jones Jr. was not going to re-sign. However, in the cold light of day, I realize that what Nico did was the right decision.
Pouncing on Naji Marshall ensured that the Mavs avoided being stuck in the mud, if they had waited too long for Airplane Mode. And on top of that, Jones with a new contract secured, is unlikely to be quite as hungry next season. The man defended the point of attack last year as if his NBA life depended on it and may have regressed to his career mean if he stayed with Dallas. Marshall, with a better system and better players around him, simply has more upside. Adding a Splash Brother explains itself – Klay Thompson provides reliable, generational knockdown shooting that was desperately wanting in the Finals. The roster is more balanced and prepared to win it all if they can get back to the top of the mountain.
And then there is our old friend, Spencer Dinwiddie. His return to Dallas came in the twilight of free agency, and as a result this pick-up has gone largely unnoticed. However, considering his impact the first time around this doesn’t seem right. Looking at it objectively, Dinwiddie was really good for the Mavericks in his two partial seasons. After a tentative start, something clicked. He became a fixture in a triple threat ball handling lineup – Luka, Jalen Brunson, Spence. It worked and the team just kept winning down the stretch. It’s easy to forget he drilled back-to-back game-winners against the Celtics and in his old stomping ground versus the Nets.
This earned him the confidence of a hard-to-please superstar, “They’re going to double, somebody’s going to be open,” Doncic said. “I’m glad it was him. He just made a shot once again.” Those moments were undoubtedly a high point. But perhaps his most important performance came in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. Doncic’s opening salvo had the Suns shook, but he also got a lot of help from Dinwiddie. He had a 30-point game, in only 25 minutes. In the first half alone, when the match-up was still a legitimate contest, he was stellar: 21 points on 7-10 shooting, including 4 of 5 from 3-point land. The Luka/Spencer tag team became the first duo since Shaq and Kobe to score 30 points or more in a Game 7 back in 2002.
Not that it was all easy money. In the previous Utah series, the Mavs were unable to fully use the ball-handling triumvirate that had served them handsomely, in the second half of the 2021-22 season. A calf strain on the last game of the season meant that Luka was out. Dinwiddie would now be expected to do more heavy lifting, for at least a few games. With increased defensive attention, he found it more difficult to create his own shot. His shooting efficiency dropped. Then Jalen Brunson found himself center stage, in a leading man star turn, and the Mavericks won the series anyway, which set up the battle royale with the 64-18 Phoenix Suns.
After management inexplicably fumbled the Brunson situation, the next year was always going to be rough. I started off talking about depth and Dallas didn’t have it then. Adding to their misery, Finney-Smith and Bullock were running on fumes due to overuse. Luka was forced to operate with a video game-like usage percentage and constant double teams. Spencer was still a key player but his play wasn’t good enough to justify the responsibility he now had. His level of defense (which was never great to start with) fell off a cliff. Luka’s lack of interest in stopping the other team put the ball in the hoop and ref hating was starting to get close to rock bottom levels. This set a tone for the rest of the roster. Dinwiddie’s long, quote-machine dialogues with reporters increased – they did not seem to inspire any change in fortune. This verbosity didn’t mesh with his drop-off in play or the team’s disappointing results. It was unfair to ask him to replace Brunson (a player now receiving MVP votes) and he was not comfortable stepping up to as a second star – it was as a smart role player where previously excelled.
You must give to get. Therefore, when Kyrie Irving became available it made sense to deal him.
Since he left, his career seems to have been largely spinning its wheels. Never quite striking oil like his first stint in Brooklyn or discovering liquid gold like he found in the Lone Star State. When Mavs played the Nets last year, I must admit I was surprised at how ineffective he was. From a distance, it appeared he did not play very well for the Lakers, with exception of a few highlight moments. But I do remember him fondly in a Mavs uniform.
His smooth, controlled style was easy on the eyes. And his tremendous three-point shooting was a revelation. Regardless of his career average, Spencer Dinwiddie shot the lights out alongside Luka Doncic. Over 40% on medium to high volume – along with being able to attack the basket – is not to be trifled with. That dunk on Rudy Gobert was pretty cool too.
The Dallas Mavericks squad is now loaded. Time on the floor will be limited. Coach Kidd is going to need the diplomatic skills of Henry Kissinger to provide what he says keeps players happy, “minutes” and “shots.” Spencer has more miles on the clock now and I believe it is unlikely he will have the significant impact he had the first time around. His previous contribution may be mostly forgotten now but it did happen. And I think persuading him to return for another run will help the team. Or at least provide injury insurance when ball handling is needed.
Personally, I am intrigued for this second act and hope that it will produce more winning moments. Welcome back to Dallas, Mr. Dinwiddie. The way this retooled Mavericks roster shapes up will be a fascinating journey. On what should be a deep run.