Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie continues to recover from a partially torn ACL and won’t have to make a decision on his 2021/22 player option until the end of July, but he sounds fairly confident he’ll be turning that option down. Dinwiddie said as much during a conversation with Shlomo Sprung of Forbes.
“I’m gonna be more than healthy by the time free agency starts, so just from a dollars perspective you kind of have to,” said Dinwiddie, whose option would pay him about $12.3MM. “$12 million isn’t market value for a starting point guard. It’s probably about half, $20-25. So obviously it’s pretty concrete that I’m gonna opt out.”
Sprung points to Fred VanVleet and Malcolm Brogdon as point guards who have signed contracts worth more than $20MM annually in the last two years. Both of those players were 26 years old when they reached free agency, whereas Dinwiddie will be a couple years older and will be coming off a major injury.
Still, Dinwiddie matches up favorably with VanVleet and Brogdon from a statistical perspective, having averaged 20.6 points and 6.8 assists in 64 games (31.2 MPG) in 2019/20. The 28-year-old also believes he’ll be fully healthy well before the 2021/22 season begins, telling Sprung that he has had “one of the more successful ACL recoveries in history and that he’s still hoping to make it back during the playoffs — perhaps in late June.
Even if Dinwiddie isn’t able to return in June or July, he doesn’t necessarily believe he has played his last game with the Nets. He tells Sprung that he’d be interested in working out a new deal with Brooklyn if and when he opts out.
“If Brooklyn wants to use my Bird Rights and sign me, I’d be thankful to be back and be able to go and try to win, hopefully, a second championship,” Dinwiddie said. “And if not, then as an unrestricted free agent you can kinda choose where you wanna go. It’s an interesting situation to be in.”
Bulls should have kept him when they had him as a throw-in. Now, I don’t think they will spend $20 mil on him except as a last resort.
This is not surprising, but, as a Nets’ fan, it is disappointing. It’s hard to see how they can retain him while in cap jail. Yes, Bird rights allow them to spend money over the cap specifically on him but put them in a bind with regard to spending on anyone else. It’s hard to justify spending “starting point guard pay” on him when you already have two max players at guard.
I still hope he’s able to come back for the playoffs.
Agreed there’s 0% chance they resign him if he’s looking for anywhere near over $20M.
They’re going to shell out well over $100M on 3 guys, maybe even significantly more than that depending on how extension talks go with the Big 3.
Even if Dinwiddie filled a need (which on BK he doesn’t) they wouldn’t shell out that type of cash
He’ll be an interesting one to watch for sure. Wonder what other impact players sat out this year that will be available next season. Have to think about it.
Rank them from best to worst
Dinwiddie
LeVert
Schroeder
Imo
Dinwiddie market value 3 year 54 million with team option
That’s interesting – I think all three would maximize their potential in a Crawford/LouWill/Clarkson type of 6th man role.
All mid to late 20s, all shoot below league avg on 3’s for their careers. All middle to below average as distributors.
Honestly I don’t think any of them are starters, except in certain instances (ie. Schroeder in LAL this year), so I wouldn’t pay any of them over $20M annually unless I thought they really filled a need.
Knicks, OKC, Spurs, and Hornets have the space. Knicks have the need.
It’s kind of dangerous to decline a $12 million option when there is really just one team that has both the space and a need for you. If the Knicks choose someone else (Kyle Lowry?), Dinwiddie’s suddenly looking at a market that will not only pay him less than $20-25MM per, but maybe less than the $12MM he turns down.
Risky gamble, especially coming off a major injury. A make good 1 year deal could work, but if he gets hurt again, he will be looking at vet minimum deals very soon.
Yea he’s an interesting cat. He is gambling for sure. Maybe there’s some teams that will open up cap space by declining options, but rosters as they stand now, limited. If he wanted to accept one of the exceptions he’d have a nice market. I know the Sixers would be in on that, maybe the Lakers, and a few other contenders.
Yup. It’s also worth noting that if you look at per minute stats like PER and BPM Dinwiddies’ 18-19 and 19-20 seasons line up pretty evenly with what Rose has been doing the past few years.
Rose is obviously older, but if NYK could keep him for 1/2 the price (or less if Dinwiddie really wants 25M) it begs the question – would NYK be better directing cap space at another position?
On top of that, Quickley’s game seems to be developing along the same lines as Rose/Din.
So do we need *three* shoot first / slashing PG’s on the roster next year?
Man thats crazy surfer I said the same thing w Rose/Dims comp a couple days ago…totally agree
If they can get Rose on a deal id spread the money elsewhere…not a great fa class outside guards tho, would love to see them enter the trade market using the cap space as leverage
Great minds think alike, ha.
Yeah I agree with the trade market idea too. Not sure who it’ll be but I’m sure some franchise player will want out this summer
$20M per season seems like a lot for Dinwiddie.
Didn’t he say he would let fans vote to decide where to play next?
link to syndication.bleacherreport.com
And they would say: Gotta be worth more in free agency than $12 mil!
Dins is easily worth $20 mil on a team that is flying apart. He would not need to start in that instance but get plenty of PT to be effective.
On the other hand… so many of the draftees of late are talented PGs who are good team players… this reduces the openings.
Yeah it’ll be interesting with Din and Schroeder both looking for contracts this summer. Similar players. I think Dennis has LAL by the knob so he can prob squeeze 20M annual out of them. Din’s case is a bit trickier.
I disagree. I think the fact that he hasn’t played will work to his benefit. Bad GMs imaginations will run wild with the “potential” of Dinwiddie and he’ll end up getting paid. Diff than a rookie who’s never been seen. That is my opinion anyway.
The draft comes before free agency again this year.
3*45
Dinwiddie will know (through his advisers) what the market is prior to declining the option. Probably already has an idea, and has for some time, which is why he’s essentially indicated he’ll be declining the option for some time. It’s all likely subject to medical clearance, which is likely why he’s been talking about coming back this year for some time (best way to indicate he’s fine, particularly having had one of the most successful ACL recoveries ever).
He’s a starter quality PG in a tight market. He’ll get more than 12 mm, and certainly more than a single year. At his age, without having banked the big money in his career (relatively), and this being his best last chance, it’s likely salary will be the primary factor in where he goes.
Personally, I’d pass on him at Brogden or FVV numbers. They were both younger when they signed and have been better two way players. But at 15-17 mm, he’s worth a look.
Yeah I agree. I think mid to high teens is where he’ll end up at, unless there’s an unforeseen bidding war for him this summer.
Am I missin’ somethin’?
Dims ain’t no startin’ PG as far as I know, which means he ain’t nowhere near worth $20MM if you ask me, not for a backup guard, they are a dime a dozen!