Brooklyn Nets superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are both expected to make full recoveries from their respective injuries and be ready to go next season.
The Nets are reportedly already preparing for this welcome development by looking to trade for a third star to create their own Big 3, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
Nets GM Sean Marks is reportedly fine shipping away young talent to make this happen. One of Brooklyn’s most attractive assets is combo guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who is once again enjoying career averages across the board.
After a breakout season in 2018-19, the 26-year-old former second-round pick has once again elevated his game in 2019-20, notching 20.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game while shooting 41.5 percent from the field, 30.8 percent from beyond the arc and 77.8 percent from the free-throw line before the NBA hiatus.
There had already been rumblings about a potential Dinwiddie trade due to questions about his fit with Irving. The 6-foot-6 guard has already addressed these new trade rumors himself, claiming he was just trying to watch “Ozark” on Netflix when his phone blew up.
Here are four teams that should look into trading for Spencer Dinwiddie.
Philadelphia 76ers
With the Sixers failing thus far to live up to lofty expectations, pundits are once again bringing up the notion that it’s time to break up the Joel Embiid-Ben Simmons duo in Philly.
Given the scarcity of elite two-way bigs in the league today, the Sixers may not want to give up Embiid and may be more inclined to trade away Simmons.
As far as overall fit goes, the Sixers might be better off going with a traditional playmaker who can stretch the floor. The biggest knock on Simmons is still his shooting, which leaves Embiid fewer options for a kickout whenever he gets double-teamed.
While Dinwiddie has never been a particularly good 3-point shooter at 31.8% for his career, some of that is a function of shot difficulty. That number would likely improve playing with Embiid.
Trading away Simmons would require a major haul in return, so the Nets would likely have to sweeten the pot further. Players like Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen could be available as well, plus draft compensation could be involved.
Orlando Magic
The Magic have reportedly been trying to gauge Aaron Gordon’s trade value for some time now. Gordon, 24, may not be considered a “star” by league standards, but he's still extremely talented and there’s no denying that the high-flying forward does look like an intriguing fit alongside Irving and Durant.
AG would get a chance to play alongside two legitimate superstars in Brooklyn, which could take the spotlight off of him. That might just be the situation he needs to finally live up to his high ceiling. The Magic and Nets have reportedly already talked about a deal like this. They could revisit those trade talks once again in the offseason.
Orlando, on the other hand, has long been in dire need of a talented facilitator. Dinwiddie would fill that void and could form a terrific backcourt duo with the emerging Markelle Fultz.
Both LA teams
Remember that cryptic “I’m coming home” tweet Dinwindie wrote earlier this month? The Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers are certainly keeping tabs on that.
Dinwiddie, an LA native, would indeed be an upgrade for the backcourt of these two title contenders.
The Lakers aggressively tried to land a playmaker prior to the deadline but failed to do so and went with Dion Waiters. The Clippers, on the other hand, wanted more scoring and settled with Reggie Jackson.
Dinwiddie is better than those two, and the Lakers and Clippers should look into acquiring him if he's on the block. However, it's a tricky situation for both teams considering the Nets are asking for the premium price of a superstar in return. The Lakers can offer a trade involving Kyle Kuzma and more, but that probably isn't what Brooklyn has in mind when it comes to a Spencer Dinwiddie trade.
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