Technically speaking, Spencer Dinwiddie and Bradley Beal couldn’t have any conversations about the possibility of playing together before free agency officially began last week. So good luck trying to get an answer from the Wizards’ newest point guard on the role reportedly Beal played in getting him to the District.
Wink. Wink.
“Before free agency would be tampering, bro,” Dinwiddie said with a smile, “What’re you talking about?”
Dinwiddie was steadfast that no tampering occurred in the complicated five-team, sign-and-trade deal that resulted in him inking a three-year, $62 million contract with the Wizards. But the 28-year-old acknowledged Beal gave a “vote of confidence” on the trade — which, by the way, resulted in star Russell Westbrook being shipped off to the Los Angeles Lakers after just one season with the franchise. Westbrook reportedly had his sights set on returning to his native home, but according to The Athletic, Beal wanted Dinwiddie upon the Westbrook trade.
He has him now. And for Dinwiddie, that endorsement went a long way. Recovering from a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament, Dinwiddie said Monday he was excited to team up with Beal and the Wizards as he embraces a bigger role than he had in Brooklyn.
Though Dinwiddie played in only three games last season before the injury, the 2014 second-rounder scored 20.6 points per game with the Nets in 2019-20. He’ll be expected to bring that same scoring mentality to the Wizards, who needed a second option following Westbrook’s departure.
Dinwiddie believes the pairing can work — and doesn’t expect the need for a major adjustment. Beal has co-existed with ball-dominant guards in Westbrook and John Wall. In Brooklyn, Dinwiddie shared the court with Kyrie Irving and later Kevin Durant.
Both have had to compromise.
“I don’t think (Beal) is going to experience any on-court friction from me,” Dinwiddie said. “We know what it is. He can score the ball in waves and do some special things out there and it’s my job to get out the way when I need to get out the way and try to help enhance whenever I can help enhance.”
The main thing for Dinwiddie and the Wizards is if Dinwiddie can get back to the level he was at pre-injury. All is good on that front, he said. Dinwiddie said he was eyeing a return in the Eastern Conference Finals, if the Nets hadn’t been eliminated in the second round of the playoffs, and has been medically cleared by doctors. He added he fully expects to be in Washington’s starting lineup when the season tips off in October.
Dinwiddie’s injury didn’t seem to affect his market. But the veteran, going into his eighth season, took his time to pick his next team. With a slew of established point guards set to hit free agency — Chris Paul, Kyle Lowry, Mike Conley and Lonzo Ball — Dinwiddie said he was unsure which team he’d land with.
Dinwiddie figured Paul and Conley would re-sign with their respective teams — they did, to Phoenix and Utah respectively — but he knew Lowry “would be the first domino” given his championship pedigree and overall skill set. After Lowry signed with the Miami Heat, Dinwiddie said he thought he would be the second point guard off the board — only for the Chicago Bulls to quickly come to terms with Ball.
The Wizards only started to come into play once Westbrook was dealt. That technically happened before free agency opened in the draft, but because of Westbrook’s massive contract, the door was left open for the Wizards to hand out another large deal if they could rope another team or two into the deal.
Dinwiddie spoke with general manager Tommy Sheppard and was sold: Washington was where he wanted to be.
“Tommy Sheppard, in the meeting, talked about how much he believed in me, which meant a ton,” Dinwiddie said. “It sounds kind of cliche, but all I’ve ever wanted to be is feel loved.”
It’s easy to understand where Dinwiddie is coming from. Before rising up with the Nets, Dinwiddie played sparingly in Detroit, spent time in the G-League and was ultimately traded to Chicago in 2016. The Bulls waived him twice: Once in the summer and another in October. Both times before Dinwiddie had the chance to play in a regular-season NBA game.
Dinwiddie is in a different place now. Not just literally, but also in his career.
“I’m blessed to be able to be here,” he said.
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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