Before the trade deadline, the Nets traded Spencer Dinwiddie (contract year, 20.35 million) for Dennis Schroder (12.4 million) and veteran Thaddeus Young (contract year, 8 million), and the Raptors' purpose was to clear the salary space, so they wanted Spencer Dinwiddie's expiring contract, not for him to partner with Scottie Barnes, so they immediately cut him (waived, to be paid). Spencer Dinwiddie, who entered the buyout market, although it has not been officially announced, according to multiple reports, has decided to join the Lakers. What kind of chemistry can Spencer Dinwiddie bring to the Lakers? Do the Lakers have a chance to reach the Western Conference Finals again after last season?
Spencer Dinwiddie, who will turn 31, was born in California (University of Colorado Boulder, near Denver), so joining the Lakers is also a return to his hometown. Drafted by the Pistons with the 38th pick in the second round in the 2014 draft, Spencer Dinwiddie spent most of his first two years in the G League. In 2016, he signed with the Nets and gradually came to prominence, and at the end of 2018, he signed a three-year contract extension of 34 million with the Nets. The 2019-20 season was the pinnacle of Spencer Dinwiddie's career, averaging 206 points, 68 assists. Spencer Dinwiddie's strengths include offensive firepower, ability to share the ball, and good defensive ability due to his size, but his shortcomings are also obvious, that is, he is too suspicious of shooting birds indiscriminately, so his shooting percentage is low (39% shooting rate and 32% three-point shooting rate this season).
The NBA circle is so big, when Westbrook was traded to the Lakers three years ago (2021), it was a big deal involving 5 teams (Lakers, Pacers, Nets, Wizards, Spurs) multiple draft picks, Spencer Dinwiddie and Kuzma joined the Wizards at the same time, and at that time he was a sign-and-trade and signed a three-year contract of 54 million with the Wizards. Because there is an incentive clause in the contract, his salary this season is as high as 20.35 million. However, after only half a season with the Wizards, Spencer Dinwiddie was traded to the Mavericks by the Wizards along with Latvian shooter Davis Bertans before the trade deadline the following year in exchange for Porzingis. Unexpectedly, the fate of changing teams in a year continued to play out on Spencer Dinwiddie, who was packed up with Dorian Finney-Smith before the trade deadline last year, and the Mavericks formed a super-guard duo. Spencer Dinwiddie was ...... again before this year's trade deadline
Sold before the deal deadline for three years in a row, I really don't know what Spencer Dinwiddie thinks. And this time he's joining the same pattern as Westbrook: 1No one wants to trade during the season because the salary is too high, 2Before the trade deadline, he was eyed as an "expiring contract" and traded to a team that wanted to clear salary space, 3Immediately laid off、4.Go to the buyout market to do odd jobs and bet on a championship ring by the way. It is worth mentioning that according to the new NBA rules, the luxury tax is exceeded (this season is 1.).$6.5 billion) (it can be called a soft cap, first apron, this season is 1.$7.2 billion) will not be allowed to sign a player whose salary exceeds the mid-income exception ($12.4 million this season) and is being cut. Therefore, the Warriors, Clippers, Suns, Bucks, Celtics, Cavaliers, Nuggets, and Heat are ruled out, and the Lakers' competitors for Spencer Dinwiddie are only the Mavericks, 76ers and other teams.
Finally, let's see how much impact Spencer Dinwiddie can bring to the Lakers, who originally planned to trade a point guard with speed and defense to replace D'Angelo Russell. D'Angelo Russell will have a draft pick for the following season at the end of the season, so it means that the two sides have agreed to part ways before the trade deadline. However, first, the Hawks have maintained a high profile and refused to cut Edjounte Murray, and second, D'Angelo Russell's almost crazy performance after returning to the starting line at the end of January has invisibly increased the opportunity cost of the Lakers trade. The Lakers were shocked to find that the three-point shooter that James and AD have always needed the most, despite the shortcomings in defense and speed, if they really sell D'Angelo Russell, will they fall into the regret of "knowing how to cherish after losing"? simply read the eagle's message and didn't help find a third-party trading partner, but quietly let the transaction pass without any incident.
The Lakers' other consideration is trade chips, they only have a first-round pick as far away as 2029 before the trade deadline, and guard Jalen Hood-Schifino, who was drafted with the 17th pick in the first round last year, has spent most of his time recovering from injury, and his only playing time is too "terrible" (22% shooting, less than 1 three-point shot) to convince the other party to use the Cotai method to convince the other party to treat him as a valuable first-round pick, so the trade has not been completed. But in this year's draft, the Lakers will suddenly have two more first-round picks (2024 or 2025, depending on which one the Pelicans decide to use, and 2031) available for trade, and the Lakers' bargaining power will be greatly improved.
The Lakers this season "according to convention", in addition to Zhan Huang and AD, the other three starting positions are constantly adjusting and trying, once discharged Jarred Vanderbilt, Cam Reddish, Torrien Prince such a defensive group, and at this stage it is an offensive group such as D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, and Hachimura, but unfortunately the NBA is not American football after all, and in the end can only seek balance on both offensive and defensive ends. While the current offensive team does have a lot of firepower, I doubt the Lakers will play the playoffs with such a starting lineup, especially with the return of several injured members of the defensive team and the addition of Spencer Dinwiddie. Personally, I think the Lakers' best starting lineup would be to put Spencer Dinwiddila in the starting lineup with D'Angelo Russell, then use Austin Reaves and Gabe Vincent as the backup lineup, and then start the more offensive Cam Reddish depending on the opposing lineup, or even put in a super defensive lock Jarred Vanderbilt.
The Lakers also lack a functional backup center, the so-called functional means that in principle, it is a substitute AD, and then depending on the playoff opponent can even start the big man, such as in the face of the Nuggets, 76ers, or the Bucks when there is a difficult man, this big man must be able to protect AD, avoid him from getting into foul trouble, and even be able to start with AD, so that AD can play a more comprehensive style of play. originally hoped that the Lakers could trade or take Drummond in the buyout market (only 3.36 million this season), but unfortunately the Bulls got rid of the big bad team at the beginning of the season and even had a chance to knock off the playoffs. The Bulls are going to fight for the playoffs, Drummond and Derozan, even if they have the opportunity to join the Lakers, it will be the next season. There are enough people in the market, leaving Lopez (not Brooke, Robin), Biyombo and others who were cut before, but how much resistance can they have against Nikola Jokic and Embiid, who don't speak martial arts?
The Lakers finished 13th in the West with a 25-31 record before the trade deadline last season, and after the Westbrook trade, they started to catch up and finish 43-39 (7th in the West) and made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals from the play-in tournament. This season, the Lakers are not going to be better, currently 28-26 and temporarily ranked 9th in the West, and it seems that the best situation has to start from the sudden death of the play-offs, and there is no carelessness. In the past few years, the NBA has felt a bit into the Warring States era, everyone has a chance, everyone is not sure, who would have thought that the Heat could reach the Finals last year? As long as the Lakers have Zhan Huang and AD, what can still happen, and it is too early to say what the Lakers must be, it depends on Spencer Dinwiddie's adaptation and the return of injured soldiers.