© Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Spencer Dinwiddie Doesn't See Himself Being Traded Again Before Deadline
The Nets have two more days to supply Kevin Durant with additional help on both ends of the floor. For the familiar face and newly acquired guard, Spencer Dinwiddie plans on being one of those key pieces past Feb. 9.
"I assume I'm here. I plan on being here," Dinwiddie said during his introductory press conference on Tuesday evening. "I don't think we'd be having this press conference if they weren't. This would be a lot of trouble just to ship me off in six hours. Then we all look crazy. You all wasted your time. I wasted my time."
After Durant chose to sign with the Nets, the two spent two seasons together in the borough. Despite being teammates for two seasons, the two players only shared the hardwood for a total of three games due to injuries.
Only three games into the 2020-21 season, Dinwiddie suffered a torn ACL and was sidelined for the remainder of the season and postseason. The year before, Durant sat the entirety of the year rehabbing his Achilles injury.
Now reunited in Brooklyn, Dinwiddie is the undisputed starting point guard after Kyrie Irving's departure. He doesn't the explicit nature of his role yet but in his mind, it's not much of a debate he'll be introduced as a starter.
"I'm actually meeting with JV [Jacque Vaughn] after this, to probably discuss this explicit nature of my role, but in general, it's probably it's pretty self-explanatory. Right,?" Dinwiddie responded on his role with the Nets.
"Be ready to spot up and shoot with KD when he's got the ball and being aggressive. If Cam Thomas is on a heater for example, probably get out of his way. Try to create shots for shooters like Joe [Harris], Seth [Curry], Doe [Dorian Finney-Smith]. Be aggressive in terms of making plays at the rim. And you know, guard too. I mean, some of this stuff. At this stage I've pretty much, kind of, got to do the similar-type stuff: Be aggressive in the pick-and-roll, and if the clock is down, break down the defense."
For Finney-Smith, he was not asked whether he believes he'll remain a Net past the Trade Deadline. The newly acquired 3-and-D wing is ready to take on the opposing team's best offensive weapon - a necessity Brooklyn has been searching for throughout this season.
“I plan on guarding the best player on the court. I take the challenge in that," he said. "I can guard multiple positions, play multiple positions. You ain't gotta draw up a play for me, I'm gonna find ways to get involved and be aggressive. Just a winning mentality. I'm gonna bring that to the team."
During Tuesday's press conference, Dinwiddie mentioned that he spoke with the Nets organization about Finney-Smith. He pulled for General Manager Sean Marks, who he has a close relationship with, that the veteran wing isn't a player you want to 'lose.'
"When they called and asked about him, I told them that's not going to be a guy you want to lose," said Dinwiddie on his call with the Nets front office. "He's a guy that defends 1-through-5. I ain't met a guy he can't guard, outside of me."
Dinwiddie, who was a fan favorite in his previous five seasons with the Nets, didn't shy away from Brooklyn's championship aspirations. Despite the team losing half of its star power in the blockbuster deal, his starting point guard replacement wants to contend for a title - a goal that has a different level of pride attached to it.
"At this stage of my career, I have no interest in playing losing basketball and understand the type of talent we have and like I said, bringing a guy of Do’s caliber and his pedigree and willingness to do anything to win, joining guys that have that same type of mentality in Royce, Joe, etcetera," he stated. "It’s gonna be fun, and yeah to a degree it is a second bite of the apple.
"I wanted to win one for Dallas, obviously there’s a certain level of pride there would be to bring a championship to Brooklyn over any other organization in the league, including an LA team or something, being from LA, it would still be more prideful doing it here just because like I said in a lot of ways it made my career, so proud to be back, happy to be back and always appreciative.
Both players will not be making their team debuts against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night. Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said his coach's decision reasoning was due to the amount of travel his newest players had to endure the last two days.
Dinwiddie is averaging 17.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in 53 games played this season. Finney-Smith, outside of his trademarked 3-and-D skillset, brings averages of 9.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.0 steals in 40 games played.
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The Nets have acquired the draft rights to David Michineau from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for forward Kessler Edwards and cash considerations. The transaction became official on Sunday evening.
