Veteran guard Spencer Dinwiddie is expected to become a free agent after the season, with a new report indicating that either the Los Angeles Lakers or Los Angeles Clippers is his preferred landing spot.
Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News indicated that Dinwiddie’s time with the Nets has probably ended, while also pointing out that any deal to return to Los Angeles could be problematic.
“Dinwiddie, however, is unlikely to return to the Nets after taking a below-market-value three-year deal worth $34 million,” Winfield wrote. “A source told The Daily News the combo guard wants to go home, or ‘wants the bag.’
“’Home is the preferred destination,’ the source told The Daily News. ‘But he wants to secure his financial future, too.’
“Home for Dinwiddie is Los Angeles, where he spent the entire season rehabbing from his ACL tear at Phenom Sports Performance. If Dinwiddie were to join the Lakers or Clippers, it would have to be in a sign-and-trade. Even if Kawhi Leonard were to decline the player option on his contract and leave the Clippers in free agency, the team still would not have the cap space to sign Dinwiddie to a competitive contract.”
The 28-year-old Dinwiddie did play three games this season before suffering his injury, after the guard came off a 2019-20 campaign in which he averaged 20.6 points, 6.8 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game.
Dinwiddie was paid $11.45 million for those three games, with a player option for next season that would pay him $12.3 million.
Whether or not the Lakers pursue any sign-and-trade deal for Dinwiddie remains to be seen, though they definitely could use his talent in their backcourt.
