The Dallas Mavericks brought back an old friend this offseason, re-signing Spencer Dinwiddie to a one-year deal after trading him away in 2023. He was a part of the package to bring in Kyrie Irving, a move that would help lead the Mavs to the NBA Finals last season, as Dinwiddie was a rotational player for the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers.
While Dinwiddie said some things he’d like to take back when he chose the Lakers over the Mavs when he was bought out by the Toronto Raptors last year, he’s happy to be back in Dallas. While at Mavs’ media day on Monday, Dinwiddie discussed why he chose to return to Dallas.
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“Probably the most consistent basketball I’ve played has been in a Mavs jersey,” Dinwiddie stated. “The farthest I’ve gone in the playoffs, the Western Conference Finals [2022], was in a Mavs jersey. And ironically, six months ago, I bought my family home in Dallas, and I get to now live in it. It’s fun, and it’s great to be back. And obviously, these guys are my friends. I’m still familiar with over half the team, Maxi [Kleber], Dwight Powell, like all the cornerstones of the Mavs franchise that are all still here. And… He won’t admit this, [Assistant Coach Sean] Sweeney loves me… That’s my dog. He’s happy I’m back.”
Dinwiddie isn’t wrong about his most consistent play coming in Dallas. The most points he ever averaged in a season was with the Brooklyn Nets in 2019-20 at 20.6 PPG, but the most points he’s averaged for a team across his whole tenure with them was his 76 games with the Mavericks when he averaged 17.1 PPG. He spent over 300 games in Brooklyn and his average with them for his whole tenure checks in at just above 14 PPG.
Many remember Luka Doncic‘s explosion in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals in 2022 against the Phoenix Suns, but Spencer Dinwiddie also had an outstanding game, scoring 30 points to advance to the Western Conference Finals. He also had two 26-point outings against the Warriors in the WCF, even if the Mavs fell in five games to the eventual champions.
Dallas hopes Dinwiddie can provide a similar scoring punch he did then as the third guard. While Doncic is still here, he now will also have the chance to play with Kyrie Irving again, who he played with in Brooklyn in that 19-20 season.
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