Sometimes, big offseason acquisitions don’t work out in the NBA. It’s professional sports. Things happen.
But what has happened with Spencer Dinwiddie after being traded from the Wizards to the Mavericks is absolutely dumbfounding. I mean, the turnaround is remarkable.
And maybe this is just me noticing this because — clearly — I am a Wizards fan despite my better judgment. But this dude has absolutely balled out since being traded from Washington to Dallas.
On Thursday night he came up big in the clutch for the Mavs in a 122-113 win over the Warriors just making play after play after play. It’s been like this ever since the trade — he’s averaging 14.5 points and 4.8 assists while shooting 58% from the floor in the last six games.
He’s just a completely different player. He seems thrilled about it, too.
No doubt about it…WE LOVE SPENCER DINWIDDIE@SDinwiddie_25 | @T_HardJR | @tpinsonn | @dallasmavs | #MFFL pic.twitter.com/UZajx6RJAN
— Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) March 4, 2022
There! Right there. Theo Pinson just said the quiet part out loud to Dinwiddie. “You play so well when you’re on my team,” he said. And he’s absolutely right. Dinwiddie does.
It’s only been six games, but he’s cooking with the Mavericks. Just a month ago with the Wizards? He put up a combined 11 shots in two games against the Heat and the Suns when the Wizards needed a real perimeter threat after Bradley Beal went down. Clearly, Dinwiddie wasn’t that.
Again, this is the NBA. Sometimes things don’t work out. But this drastically? Dinwiddie looks like a completely different player. Clearly, he didn’t love being in Washington. But he looked like he might’ve still been injured. He’s happy now and thriving in Dallas.
Back in DC, though, there are unreal levels of saltiness from Wizards fans. They’re so confused. How’d this guy go from being that bad just a few weeks ago to being…whatever this is with Dallas?
Maybe it was his role. Maybe it’s the coaching. Maybe he just didn’t like anyone in DC. We have no idea. But we’re all very confused by this.