LeBron James, Anthony Davis discuss in detail what Lakers new man Spencer Dinwiddie can bring to Lakers [Full story link in comment]
The Lakers signed Spencer Dinwiddie on Sunday, providing the team with the ball-handling guard Rob Pelinka stressed was a priority for the team in the buyout market.
Lakers fans looking at Dinwiddie’s numbers this year may not be impressed with his 12.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game, but Nets Daily writer Lucas Kaplan believes Lakers will likely get a better version of Dinwiddie on the team.
After the Lakers’ win versus the New Orleans Pelicans, the team’s two most important players, Anthony Davis and LeBron James, provided their thoughts on the team’s recent acquisition.
“Playmaking, another ball handler, another shot-maker,” James said. “Another veteran. Any time you can add a veteran that good, it helps.”
“He’s a big guard,” Davis added. “Shot-maker. Playmaker. Obviously, we saw what he did with Brooklyn, what he did with Dallas, making big plays for them. He’s a well-established player, vet in this league.”
Dinwiddie had a down year in Brooklyn and struggled from deep, shooting just 32 % from 3-point land. The Dinwiddie who played for the Dallas Mavericks in the 2021-22 season is exactly what the Lakers need.
That year, Dinwiddie averaged 17.7 points and shot 40% from deep. His seminal moment was his Game 7 performance versus the Suns where he had 30 points and went 5-7 from three to eliminate Phoenix from playoff contention.
Dinwiddie doesn’t have to hit those heights to be a good pickup, but the 2022 playoffs weren’t that long ago. Hopefully, his homecoming and a new environment will spark a resurgence of his career.
He hasn’t played a game for the Lakers yet, but the vibes have been immaculate. He received a warm welcome from the team’s two stars, was embraced by his previous teammates after the Pelicans game and his first time seeing his Lakers jersey went viral online.
Welcome to the Lakers family 🥹💜 pic.twitter.com/J0PgTizmAz
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 11, 2024
Why Dinwiddie chose the Lakers is a multi-layered answer, but it took all factors from Rob Pelinka calling first, the allure of coming home and his family onboard with the idea to make it happen.
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham says Spencer Dinwiddie could play in 3-guard lineups alongside D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves, so it’ll be interesting to see his role and the minutes he gets early on.
His first potential game to suit up for the Lakers will be on Tuesday at home versus the Detroit Pistons.
