DEAL OR NO DEAL
Dinwiddie has benen big bargain for Nets- but guard awaiting extension from club
PHILADELPHIA — If Spencer Dinwiddie is to get a contract extension, the ball is in the Nets’ court.
It remains to be seen if strategically slow-playing the guard ends up as a slam dunk or an airball.
On Saturday Dinwiddie became eligible for a fouryear contract extension worth a maximum of $47.5 million. But despite being the poster child for the Nets’ much-hyped player development (he was a finalist for last season’s NBA Most Improved Player Award), Dinwiddie still does not have an extension.
“No news. Nothing to report,” Dinwiddie’s agent, Raymond Brothers, said.
“Dec. 8, it came, it’s gone. I don’t have an extension,” said Dinwiddie, 25. “Just let Raymond and [Nets general manager] Sean [Marks] talk about it. I already said what I needed to say.”
What Dinwiddie said was that he wants to stay in Brooklyn despite knowing full well the Nets can’t offer more than four years, $47.5 million.
One NBA source proclaimed surprise the Nets didn’t offer Dinwiddie an extension, and at least three others suggested he would be worth more in the unrestricted free-agent market next summer, when a number of teams should be flush with cash. So, by all accounts, he is offering the Nets a hometown discount.
Playing last season on a $1.5 million contract that Dwane Casey dubbed “the best bargain in this league,” Dinwiddie has gotten even better on his $1.6 million deal this season.
Dinwiddie comes into Wednesday’s game at the 76ers averaging 16.1 points on 46.7 percent shooting and 35.6 percent from deep, all career-highs. He’s 19th in the NBA in offensive real plus/minus, and seventh in the East, behind just Kemba Walker, Kyrie Irving, Kyle Lowry, Eric Bledsoe, Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler. He’s not a bargain, he’s a steal.
Last season the Nets rejected the chance to get the Cavaliers’ first-round pick for Dinwiddie.
Dinwiddie also has been linked with the point guardneedy Suns. Phoenix now reportedly is looking at a three-way deal that would send Trevor Ariza to the Lakers and ship Los Angeles’ Kentavious CaldwellPope to a third team in order to get them their guard.
Nets assistant GM Trajan Langdon turned up at the Suns’ home loss to the Clippers on Monday and followed them to San Antonio Tuesday, stirring the pot and adding credence to the rumors. But Caldwell-Pope makes little sense for the Nets, and Langdon told AZCentral.com the Lakers and Suns hadn’t been in contact.
The Nets don’t have to rush. Most teams don’t begin trading until Dec. 15, when almost every player (including those signed last summer) can be dealt. The trade deadline isn’t until Feb. 7 and free agency begins July 1.
Because of Dinwiddie’s low cap hold, the Nets could use his Bird Rights, adding other free agents and circle back to sign him late in the process the way they did last summer with Joe Harris. But there are risks involved in that, namely Dinwiddie getting away for nothing.
Unlike D’Angelo Russell, who the Nets can make restricted with a qualifying offer, Dinwiddie would be unrestricted. Letting him hit unrestricted free agency would mean the Nets are no longer bound by that $47.5 million ceiling and other teams could swoop in with big offers.
Dinwiddie piled up 5.7 win shares last season, and with a win share worth an estimated $2,935,200, that means he played more like a $16.7 million player. This year he is on pace for 6.15 win shares. So how do the Nets value their beloved flexibility versus retaining one of their own?
“I just think that’s a Sean question,” coach Kenny Atkinson said. “We discuss things like that, but I’d feel better if he answered that. I’m sure he would if you ask him.”
Maybe not now. But he’ll have to answer it sooner or later with Dinwiddie.