The Brooklyn Nets are finalizing a deal to acquire Dennis Schroder and Thaddeus Young from the Toronto Raptors for Spencer Dinwiddie, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Grading the deal for the Nets
Dinwiddie was a fixture in trade rumors for weeks leading up to the deadline. The veteran point guard saw a rapid decline in production over his last 14 appearances, averaging 9.1 points on 38.0 percent shooting while attempting 7.7 shots per game. Dinwiddie took a backseat to Mikal Bridges and Cam Thomas, who emerged as Brooklyn's lead ball-handlers during that span.
The 30-year-old ranked 13th on the team with a 14.1 usage rating over the last 14 games while playing primarily off the ball. Dinwiddie ranked third on the Nets with a 21.9 usage rating over 26 appearances after Brooklyn acquired him last season. His drive-and-kick game, often the spark of Brooklyn's offense early this year, disappeared during the 14-game stretch. He averaged 6.5 drives per game during the span compared to 15.8 per game with Brooklyn last season.
Asked Jacque Vaughn about Spencer Dinwiddie's lack of involvement in Brooklyn's offense:
“With Mikal and CT out there, they’re gonna have the basketball in their hands the majority of the time… The ball just didn't find [Spencer] and it wasn't in his hands for him to produce." pic.twitter.com/EXzLweMz2n
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) February 7, 2024
Dinwiddie and Brooklyn reportedly had brief extension talks early this season that went nowhere. With Dinwiddie on an expiring contract, the Nets needed to find a reliable point guard option if they were to trade him, given Ben Simmons' extensive injury history. They got one in Schroder, who is averaging 13.7 points and 6.1 assists per game on 44/35/85 shooting splits.
Schroeder has one year left on his contract at $13 million after this season. That team-friendly number will give the Nets a stopgap option in 2024-25 while allowing them to re-sign Nic Claxton while staying under the luxury tax, which Brooklyn will avoid to reset a CBA clause known as the repeater tax.
Brooklyn is expected to waive Young following the trade, according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.
Grade: B
Grading the deal for the Raptors
Toronto plans to waive Dinwiddie following the trade, according to Shams Charania. The Raptors have been the NBA's most active team on the trade market this season, sending out Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Otto Porter Jr. and a first-round pick for RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Bruce Brown, Kelly Olynyk, Ochai Agbaji, Jordan Nwora, three first-round picks and a second-round pick before the Brooklyn deal.
The trade with the Nets is about financial flexibility more than anything else. The Raptors shed Schroder's $13 million salary for 2024-25, allowing them to retain Immanuel Quickley in restricted free agency and create upwards of $40 million in cap space.
Despite a slow start to the year amid his inconsistent role in Brooklyn, Dinwiddie will be one of the hottest names on the buyout market. In 48 games with the Nets this season, he averaged 12.6 points, his lowest since 2017-18, and 6.0 assists on 39/32/78 shooting splits
Dinwiddie is having one of the worst shooting seasons of his career, posting a 48.5 effective field goal percentage, which ranks in the 17th percentile among NBA point guards, per Cleaning The Glass. However, he has maintained his status as a high-level playmaker, posting a career-best 4.5 assist-to-turnover ratio.
The Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns, and Miami Heat will not be eligible to sign Dinwiddie because of a new clause in the CBA. Teams above the first luxury tax apron cannot sign a player who has been bought out during the season unless that player's former salary was below the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($12.4 million).
Grade: B
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