The Dallas Mavericks are bringing back a familiar face for next season, as they're signing veteran guard Spencer Dinwiddie to a one-year deal, per The Athletic. Dinwiddie spent last season with the Nets and Lakers, and will now rejoin the team he helped get to the Western Conference finals in 2022.
The Mavericks had reported interest in Dinwiddie, Dennis Smith Jr., and Talen Horton-Tucker for their last roster spot, but Dinwiddie was considered the favorite amongst the bunch, per Marc Stein. Dinwiddie was traded from the Mavericks to the Brooklyn Nets as part of the deal that brought Kyrie Irving to Dallas in 2023. He was then traded from Brooklyn to Toronto this past season and bought out. He almost re-joined the Mavericks at the trade deadline, but ultimately chose the Lakers. Now, it looks like he'll be rejoining the team he had a successful stint with.
During the 2021-22 season, after Dinwiddie was traded from the Wizards to the Mavericks, he averaged 15.8 points on 49.8% from the field off the bench. He was electric off the bench for Dallas in the postseason, averaging 14.2 points on 41.7% from 3-point range. Given his seamless fit on the team back then, he'll surely be an ideal fit once again in the backcourt feeding off passes from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Dinwiddie gives the Mavericks another guard who can create off the bench, something they needed in the NBA Finals against the Celtics. It remains to be seen how much of a role he'll have, given the ascension of young guard Jaden Hardy in the playoffs, and the addition of Quentin Grimes, as well as Dante Exum on the roster. Exum and Grimes give the Mavericks far more on defense than Dinwiddie can, and Hardy has proven he's deserving of more minutes. It may be tough to get Dinwiddie minutes next season, but having him as an option on the bench isn't a bad thing for a Dallas team looking to get back to the Finals again.
